From November 15 to 17, the Central Asian Think Tanks Forum, an annual dialogue platform bringing together leading research and analytical organisations from Central Asia, will be held in Astana.
According to the Forum’s organisers, the topics of discussion are primarily related to the actualisation (connected to the outbreak of the war in Ukraine) of such issues as the process of decolonisation and promoting decolonial narratives, the trend toward polarisation of opinions in society (under the influence of Russian propaganda), and prospects for regional cooperation in Central Asia.
“The war in Ukraine increased the interest of Central Asian countries in fostering independent politics, including their search for a new vector of foreign policy related to various regional and international actors,” the organisers believe.
The discussions will be focused on the impact of the war in Ukraine on Central Asia and the prospects for regional cooperation.
“We hope that the Forum will become a stable Central Asian platform for the exchange of expert experience and opinions, which will strengthen partnerships between think tanks and analytical organisations in Central Asia, as well as attract public attention to analytical research and how it contributes to solving pressing problems in the region”, organisers said.
This will be a closed event for invited think tanks representatives from across Central Asia.
During the first two days of the Forum, there will be a live broadcast of panel discussions and guest lectures for everyone. Video recordings of the sessions will be available on the PaperLab YouTube channel.
On the first day of the forum, a panel discussion on the ‘Economic Consequences of the War in Ukraine for Central Asia’ will be held. Prominent experts will take part in it, including Aiman Tursynkhan (EXIMAR Foresight, Kazakhstan), Yuliy Yusupov (Center for Economic Development, Uzbekistan), Uktam Jumaev (IRSHAD Consulting, Tajikistan) and Kanat Tilekeev (University of Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan). The discussion will be moderated by Sholpan Aitenova (Zertteu Research Institute, Kazakhstan).
In the second half of the first day, a panel discussion titled ‘External Contours of Regionalisation in Central Asia’ will take place. Participants include Aijan Sharshenova (Crossroads Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan), Zhumabek Sarabek (political scientist, Kazakhstan), and Marat Mamadshoev (IWPR Central Asia, Tajikistan). Anastasia Reshetnyak (Paperlab, Kazakhstan) will moderate the discussion.
The first day will be concluded with Tatyana Shevchenko’s (Factum Group Ukraine) presentation on the topic ‘Ukraine in the Context of Russian Aggression: Aspects of Transformation of Society and Public Opinion’.
On the second day of the Forum, a presentation of the Paperlab research ‘War and Central Asia’s Future in Expert Assessments” will take place.
After the presentation, a panel discussion on ‘The Impact of War on the Process of Decolonisation in Central Asia’ will be held. It will feature prominent researchers, including Elmira Nogoibaeva (Esimde, Kyrgyzstan), Galym Zhussipbek (Suleyman Demirel University, Kazakhstan), Ainash Mustoyapova (Karaganda Buketov University, Kazakhstan), and Saifullo Mullojanov (Tajik National University, Tajikistan). The discussion will be moderated by Asel Doolotkeldieva (George Washington University, Kyrgyzstan).
In the afternoon, a panel discussion titled ‘War Reflection and Public Opinion in Central Asia’ is planned, which will feature Darkhan Omirbek (RFE/RL Kazakh Service, Kazakhstan), Kasiet Ysmanova (Central Asia Barometer, Kyrgyzstan), Elnura Kazakbaeva (Evidence CA, Kyrgyzstan), and Andrey Tkachenko (Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan).
At the end of the second day, Natalia Lee (IWPR Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan) will present an IWPR research titled ‘Decolonisation and Russian propaganda in Kyrgyzstan’.
The project is implemented by the Paperlab Public Policy Research Center together with CAPS Unlock regional think tank with the support of the US Embassy in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The project partners are the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) and The Guests Studio. The speakers’ opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of PaperLab, CAPS Unlock, the US Embassy in Kazakhstan, and partner organisations. The speakers are responsible for the presented facts, information, arguments, and conclusions.