The Times Of Central Asia | Eurasian Publication & News Online

U.S. investors are showing growing interest in Kazakhstan’s critical minerals sector, with attention increasingly focused not only on extraction but also on processing, metallurgy and broader supply-chain development, according to Nicole Rodgers, president of the U.S.-based Alliance for Mineral Security, an industry group representing companies involved in mining, processing and...

Pensions

A History of Kazakhstan Pension Reforms: Between Market and Monopoly

TCA Interviews

Kazakhstani Filmmaker Zhanana Kurmasheva on Her Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site Documentary

Zhanana Kurmasheva is a Kazakhstani documentary filmmaker and graduate of the T. K. Zhurgenov Kazakh National Academy of Arts, where she studied film directing. Her debut feature documentary, We Live Here, turns to the human legacy of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site through the lives of people still living with...

Middle Corridor

Kyrgyzstan and Georgia Seek Black Sea Link for CKU Railway

Kyrgyzstan and Georgia placed Black Sea access at the center of their transport agenda during Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's official visit to Bishkek on June 11-13. In talks with President Sadyr Japarov at Yntymak Ordo, the new presidential palace complex, on June 12, the two sides linked their cooperation...

Infrastructure Finance

Opinion: Central Asia’s Shift from Silk Road Romance to Infrastructure Finance – What the June Forums Are Building

In mid-June, Tashkent and Baku will host two major international finance gatherings within the same regional window: the fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum in Uzbekistan, and the Islamic Development Bank Group’s 2026 Annual Meetings in Azerbaijan. The overlap in timing is useful less as a calendar coincidence than as a...

Defence Deals, Cotton Conscription, and Kyrgyzstan’s UN Victory

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Sunkar Podcast

Kazakhstan to Host 2027 Table Tennis World Championships

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Opinions

Opinion: Central Asia’s Shift from Silk Road Romance to Infrastructure Finance – What the June Forums Are Building

Dr. Magsud Mammadov

UNDP Opinion: Central Asia – Shared Wildlife, Shared Landscapes, Shared Responsibility

UNDP Representatives in Kazakhstan, Katarzyna Wawiernia, Kyrgyzstan, Alexandra Solovieva, Tajikistan, Sudipto Mukerjee, Turkmenistan, Narine Sahakyan, Uzbekistan, Akiko Fujii.

Opinion: Beyond Multivectorism – What Kyrgyzstan’s UN Security Council Win Really Shows

Zamirbek Minbaev

Opinion: Eurasia’s New Corridors Are More Than a Transit Race

Aidar Borangaziyev

Opinion: Silk Seven or the OTS? Central Asia May Not Have to Choose

Ken Moriyasu

Opinion: How AI Is Reshaping the Global Image of Nations

Sergey Akhmetov

Opinion: Middle Powers and the “Voice of the Region” – Is Central Asia Becoming a Coordinated Actor?

Timur Serikuly

Opinion: UK’s C6 Engagement and the Opportunity for British Geostrategic Renewal

Matthew Davies

Opinion: The Southern Dimension of the Middle Corridor – Afghanistan’s Role in Eurasia’s New Logistics Landscape

Timur Serikuly

Opinion: Kazakhstan, Oil, the Iran War and Dutch Disease

Charles McLean

Opinion: The U.S. Still Doesn’t Know Where Central Asia Belongs

Ken Moriyasu

Opinion: Hormuz Crisis Pushes Afghanistan Aid Routes Toward Central Asia

Aidar Borangaziyev

Business & Economy

Gold Mining

Kazakhstan Registers Five New Gold Deposits as Jewelers Seek Raw Materials

Citing World Gold Council data, Azamat Panbayev, chairman of the Industrial Committee at Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Industry and Construction, said Kazakhstan ranked 14th globally in gold production last year. He was speaking at the VII Forum of Gold Producers of Kazakhstan held as part of the international Astana Mining & Metallurgy Congress 2026. “The gold mining industry remains one of the strategically important sectors of industry and makes a significant contribution to the country’s economic development,” Panbayev said. “Kazakhstan has a substantial mineral resource base: 374 gold deposits with total reserves of 2,369 tons are currently listed on the state...

Aviation

Turkish Airlines to Fly Daily to Dushanbe

Coal

Kazakhstan Coal Exports Hit 7 Million Tons in Q1 2026

AMM 2026

U.S. Investors Show Growing Interest in Kazakhstan’s Mining Sector

Middle Corridor

Kyrgyzstan and Georgia Seek Black Sea Link for CKU Railway

AIRUN CEO Chingiz Arziev on Building Kyrgyzstan’s Sovereign AI

The Times of Central Asia was delighted to interview Chingiz Arziev, CEO of AIRUN a Kyrgyzstan-based company developing AI infrastructure for the Kyrgyz language. AIRUN’s technology includes a large language model, speech recognition, text-to-speech tools, AI translation, and digital avatars designed for use in government, education, media, business, and public services. Chingiz Arziev spoke to TCA about the challenge of building AI for a low-resource language, why digital sovereignty matters for Kyrgyzstan, and how the company hopes to take its experience to other countries facing similar language and technology challenges. TCA: To begin with, can you tell us a little...

Economic Growth

EBRD Names Tajikistan One of Central Asia’s Fastest-Growing Economies

Tajikistan continues to record one of the strongest economic growth rates in Central Asia, according to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in its June 2026 Regional Economic Prospects report. The EBRD estimates that Tajikistan’s economy grew by 8% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, supported by growth in trade, transport and communications, along with strong manufacturing growth and higher electricity generation. Fixed capital investment rose by 34.2% in the first quarter compared with the same period last year, one of the strongest performances in the region. For comparison, fixed capital investment in neighboring Kyrgyzstan rose by...

FinTech

Uzbekistan to Host Inaugural Silk Road Finance & Technology Forum in August

Uzbekistan is set to host the inaugural Silk Road Finance and Technology Forum in August, a new international event aimed at advancing the country’s role as a regional hub for financial technology and innovation. According to a joint announcement by the Central Bank of Uzbekistan and the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), the forum will take place in Tashkent from August 24 to 26, 2026. The event will be held at Central Asian Expo Uzbekistan and the Islamic Civilization Centre. It is expected to bring together policymakers, regulators, investors, entrepreneurs, and technology leaders from Central Asia and beyond. The...

Pensions

A History of Kazakhstan Pension Reforms: Between Market and Monopoly

Kazakhstanis rushed to withdraw pension savings in May ahead of a sharp increase in the minimum balances required to access their funds, in what may prove to be the final major wave of early withdrawals from the country’s state-run pension system. According to local financial outlet Kapital.kz, the Unified Accumulative Pension Fund (UAPF) processed 119,100 applications for one-time pension withdrawals for housing in May, twice as many as in April. The withdrawals totaled 117.8 billion tenge, roughly $240 million. The surge came shortly before new “minimum sufficiency thresholds” were published in early June, which will make early access to pension...

Local Politics

Kazakhstan's Parliament

Amanat Adilet Merger as Kazakhstan Prepares for New Parliament

Kazakhstan’s long-dominant Amanat party has voted to merge into the newly formed pro-presidential Adilet party, transferring the machinery of the country’s ruling political force into a new vehicle more closely associated with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The move gives Adilet the campaign infrastructure and nationwide network of officials and activists that it lacked as a newly registered party. For Amanat, it offers a way to move beyond a political brand still closely associated with former President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Amanat held a congress in Astana on June 12 that is likely to be remembered as the final meeting of a political organization...

Cancer Treatment

Uzbekistan Cancer Care Reforms to be Launched in 2027

Parliamentary Elections

Kazakhstan’s August Elections: Who Will Enter the New Parliament?

Law and Order

Tokayev Criticizes Lawmakers Over “Penaltystan” Label for Kazakhstan

Border Security

Kyrgyzstan Opens New Border Post Near Uzbekistan in Batken Region

Drone Production

Kyrgyzstan Expands Domestic Drone Production

A private research center near Bishkek is expanding production of unmanned and robotic systems as Kyrgyzstan invests more heavily in drones, robotics, and military modernization. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that Kyrgyzstan’s armed forces have expanded alongside sharp increases in defense spending, with drones receiving particular attention since Bishkek acquired its first combat drones in late 2021. The Nanospace Research Center, which operates with private funding, was established with support from Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, who allocated land for the facility and helped its founders establish cooperation with the country’s armed forces. According to Nanospace Director Ulan Salamatov,...

Political Parties

Kazakhstan’s Party Landscape Enters a Decisive Week

Kazakhstan’s party system may be approaching one of its most consequential turning points in years. With Amanat scheduled to hold a party congress on June 12 and the newly registered Adilet party planning its own gathering on June 14, speculation is growing that the country’s dominant political organization could be reshaped, merged, or rebranded ahead of elections to the new unicameral Kurultai. The immediate question is whether Amanat, the successor to the party originally created around Kazakhstan’s first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, will remain the major pro-presidential force or whether its extensive organizational resources will be drawn into Adilet, a new...

Armed Forces

Kyrgyzstan’s Armed Forces Double in Size Amid Rising Defense Spending

Kyrgyzstan’s armed forces have roughly doubled in size since 2018 amid a sharp increase in defense spending, military rearmament, and improved social benefits for service personnel, according to General Staff chief Tariel Otonbaev. On May 29, Kyrgyzstan marked the 34th anniversary of the establishment of its national armed forces. Speaking at the anniversary event, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek Kasymaliev said the development of the country’s modern military had been shaped by the armed incursions in the Batken region in 1999-2000 and the border conflict with Tajikistan in 2022. In an interview with The Times of Central Asia,...

Tourism

Turkmenistan Eases Restrictions for Foreign Tourists

Turkmenistan has begun gradually easing restrictions on foreign visitors and tourists, though local residents and human rights advocates say the changes have had little impact on the daily lives of the country’s citizens. Reports of a more accommodating approach toward foreign travelers have emerged from both tourists and representatives of the international tourism industry. Canadian traveler Elise Williams said that before visiting Turkmenistan in early 2026, her tour operator advised her not to stray far from her hotel and to avoid taking photographs independently in public places. Upon arrival, however, she found the situation less restrictive than expected. “I felt...

International Affairs

Iran

U.S.-Iran Framework Could Reopen Central Asia’s Southern Route

The United States and Iran said on June 15 that they had reached a framework to end their war, halt the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The sides said a memorandum of understanding could be signed on June 19 in Switzerland. The exact terms were not immediately known, with Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions relief left for later talks. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the pact called for “the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.” Trump posted, on Truth Social, “Ships of the World, start...

UNAMA

Opinion: Why the Next Head of UNAMA Should Come from Central Asia

Armenia

Pashinyan Victory Points to New Transport Options for Central Asia

Cooperation

China Tajikistan Financial Cooperation Talks Focus on Banking Links

Termez Dialogue 2026

Opinion: Building Bridges Across Eurasia – Termez Dialogue 2026 Opens in Tashkent

Migration

CIS Official Warns Middle East Crisis Could Increase Migration Pressure on Turkmenistan

Growing instability in the Middle East could trigger large-scale migration flows that may affect countries bordering Iran, including Turkmenistan, according to a senior security official from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The warning was issued by Evgeny Sysoev, head of the CIS Anti-Terrorism Center, during a meeting of the heads of competent authorities of CIS member states, according to the Azerbaijani newspaper Bakinskiy Rabochiy. Sysoev said the worsening international situation, particularly developments in the Middle East, had created conditions that could lead to significant migration movements and a humanitarian crisis similar to those seen during conflicts in Libya and...

C5+1

U.S. Convenes Critical Minerals Dialogue with Central Asian Officials in Kazakhstan

ASTANA — The United States opened a new round of high-level critical minerals talks with Central Asian governments in Astana on June 10, with U.S. Special Envoy for South and Central Asian Affairs Sergio Gor saying Washington is placing new emphasis on a region it sees as central to global commerce, connectivity, and secure supply chains. Speaking at the C5+1 Critical Minerals Dialogue, Gor said Central Asia “has not gotten the attention it deserves from the United States,” and that the Trump administration had decided to change that. “We care about this region, we want to be involved with this...

C5+1

From Culture to Critical Minerals: C5+1 Opens Busy U.S. Week in Central Asia

The United States and Central Asia moved another part of the C5+1 agenda into a working-level form on June 5, when culture officials from the five Central Asian states and Washington met in Tashkent. The meeting came just days before a separate C5+1 critical minerals session in Astana, giving the week a wider agenda: cultural heritage, public diplomacy, mining, investment, and supply chains are now moving forward in the same regional format. The Tashkent meeting brought together Uzbekistan's Minister of Culture Ozodbek Nazarbekov, Kazakhstan's Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva, Kyrgyzstan's Minister of Culture, Information and Youth Policy Mirbek...

Water Security

Megaprojects Instead of Quotas: How Central Asia’s Water Diplomacy Is Changing

Central Asia’s water politics are moving beyond Soviet-era quotas. As glaciers in the Tien Shan retreat and climate pressure increases, river management has become a question of energy security, food production, and regional stability. The Soviet-era system of river-water allocation has reached its limits, forcing Central Asian states to look beyond traditional negotiations and toward joint ownership of strategic water infrastructure. Even as regional governments learn to cooperate more closely, a new challenge is emerging on Central Asia’s southern frontier, one that could disrupt the region’s hydrological balance. The Illusion of Control Formally, Central Asia’s water resources are governed through...

Life & Culture

Robotics

Kazakh Robotics Team Wins Top Judged Award at U.S. Tech Event

SHYMKENT — A school robotics team from southern Kazakhstan has won the Inspire Award in its division at a FIRST Tech Challenge Premier Event in the United States, giving Kazakhstan another international youth technology success. Atomic Heart, Team #33680 from NIS Shymkent Abai, won the Inspire Award at the Run for the Robots Premier Event - Man o' War Division, held May 28-30 at the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. FIRST's official results list Atomic Heart as the division's Inspire Award winner, ahead of U.S. teams from Missouri and Pennsylvania. [video width="832" height="464" mp4="https://timesca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/first_13_seconds_no_watermark.mp4"][/video] The...

TCA Interviews

Kazakhstani Filmmaker Zhanana Kurmasheva on Her Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site Documentary

FIFA World Cup

The World Cup Begins, and Central Asia Is Finally Part of It

Architecture

Opinion: Beyond Ornaments – Rethinking Kazakhstan’s Architectural Identity

Venice Biennale

The Aural Sea: Uzbekistan’s Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale

Podcast

Pannier and Hillard’s Spotlight on Central Asia: New Episode Coming Soon

As Managing Editor of The Times of Central Asia, I’m delighted that, in partnership with the Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs, from October 19, we are the home of the Spotlight on Central Asia podcast. Chaired by seasoned broadcasters Bruce Pannier of RFE/RL’s long-running Majlis podcast and Michael Hillard of The Red Line, each fortnightly instalment will take you on a deep dive into the latest news, developments, security issues, and social trends across an increasingly pivotal region. This week, the team will be discussing the latest report on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference with special guest Samuel Doveri-Vesterbye, Director...

Gastronomy

Almaty Turns to Gault&Millau to Boost Food Tourism

Almaty is trying to turn its restaurant scene into part of its international tourism brand. The city administration has announced cooperation with Gault&Millau, the French restaurant guide that evaluates restaurants, chefs, hotels, and hospitality culture in multiple countries. The partnership gives the city a new external platform, while also raising a public-spending question. The Almaty authorities described the cooperation as the first time a guide of this level had entered the Central Asian market. The tourism department said the partnership would open Almaty to a global audience of gastronomic tourists and strengthen the city's position on the international tourism map....

Football

Central Asian Football Stays Active as Uzbekistan Prepares for World Cup

Uzbekistan’s football team takes to the global stage on June 17 in Mexico City, when it faces Colombia in its first round-robin match of the World Cup. Other countries in Central Asia that didn’t qualify for the event aren’t just cheering from afar; they’re training and competing in hopes of one day achieving the same goal. On Tuesday, Tajikistan held India to a 1-1 draw after a late penalty score by Sheriddin Boboev in a friendly match at the Hisor Central Stadium in Tajikistan. The draw followed a 3-1 win for Tajikistan over India in Tursunzoda four days earlier. “While...

Cultural Heritage

Samarkand’s Sher-Dor Madrasah Restoration Reaches First Milestone With U.S. Support

A major international effort to preserve one of Central Asia’s most iconic architectural monuments has reached a new milestone, with officials in Samarkand marking the completion of the first phase of restoration work on the façade of the Sher-Dor Madrasah, part of the historic Registan Square complex. According to a June 3 report from the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF), the ceremony was attended by Sarah Rogers, the United States under secretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs, ACDF Chairperson Gayane Umerova, and U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan Jonathan Henick. The restoration project focuses on the conservation...

Justice

Drug Trafficking

Uzbekistan Toughens Anti-Drug Laws as Synthetic Narcotics and Online Trafficking Rise

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has approved tougher measures against drug trafficking and endorsed reforms aimed at protecting public health, particularly among young people, as authorities respond to the growing spread of synthetic drugs and internet-based narcotics sales. According to the presidential press service, Mirziyoyev reviewed proposed legislative changes aimed at protecting public health and the nation’s gene pool from drug abuse. The review also covered road safety concerns. Officials outlined the significance of a recently adopted law that increases criminal liability for the illegal circulation of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, their analogues, and other potent substances. The legislation, which had...

Stalking

Kazakhstan Considers Tougher Penalties for Repeat Stalking Offenses

Saddam Gulamov

Extradited Turkmen Activist Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

Visa Fraud

German Authorities Investigate Alleged Schengen Visa Scheme Involving Citizens of Uzbekistan

U.S. Crime

Uzbekistan’s Consulate Urges Citizens to Follow U.S. Law After Cargo Theft Arrests

FIFA World Cup

Uzbekistan Seeks Explanation After World Cup Team Subjected to Security Checks in New York

Uzbekistan’s national football team was subjected to extensive security checks before a friendly match against the Netherlands in New York, prompting the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to seek an official explanation from United States authorities. The incident took place ahead of Uzbekistan’s final warm-up match before its historic debut at the FIFA World Cup. Videos showing players and coaching staff undergoing detailed inspections upon arrival at Icahn Stadium on Randalls Island circulated widely on social media and were later reported by the New York Post. According to the report, members of Uzbekistan’s delegation were searched with handheld metal detectors...

Counter-Terrorism

Kyrgyzstan Says 31 Suspected KTJ and Islamic State Members Detained in Southern Operation

Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security, or GKNB, said it detained 31 suspected members of Katibat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad and Islamic State during an overnight counterterrorism operation in the southern Osh and Batken regions. The operation took place on the night of June 8-9. Authorities imposed a legal counterterrorist-operation regime in Osh, Kyzyl-Kiya, Kara-Suu district, and Uch-Korgon village in Kadamjay district. The GKNB said the suspects had planned attacks against law enforcement officers and religious figures. Security officers detained 11 people in Osh region and 20 in Batken region. During searches, officers seized religious extremist literature, electronic storage devices with extremist...

EU Sanctions

EU Sanctions Seminar in Bishkek Puts Kyrgyzstan’s Russia Trade Under Scrutiny

The European Union held a full-day sanctions seminar in Bishkek on June 9, aimed at Kyrgyz companies, banks, logistics operators and virtual-asset businesses. The session comes less than seven weeks after Brussels used its anti-circumvention tool against Kyrgyzstan for the first time. The EU Delegation to the Kyrgyz Republic said the seminar was designed to raise awareness of EU sanctions, explain their application, and improve cooperation to prevent circumvention. The published agenda set out a program covering the EU sanctions system, financial restrictions, dual-use trade controls, penalties, trade-flow risks, and practical compliance. It also included question-and-answer sessions on financial sanctions...

Child Labor

ILO Reports Rise in Child Labor in Turkmenistan’s Cotton Fields

The International Labour Organization has reported a rise in child labor during Turkmenistan’s 2025 cotton harvest, despite improvements in some working conditions and continued cooperation with the government. The findings were published in the ILO’s second consecutive assessment of labor conditions during the country’s cotton campaign. The monitoring mission was conducted between August 28 and November 4, 2025, across all five regions of Turkmenistan. Observers interviewed 1,611 cotton pickers, 458 farmers, and 1,415 public-sector employees, as well as local officials and farm managers. Children were not interviewed for safety reasons, meaning conclusions regarding child labor were based on direct observations...

Environment

Water Management

Tajikistan and ADB Discuss Modernization of Tajik Sea Reservoir

Tajikistan is planning a major modernization of the Tajik Sea reservoir, known until 2016 as the Kayrakkum Reservoir. The project is a strategic water initiative for the country and the wider Central Asian region. Prospects for the project were discussed during a meeting between Tajikistan’s officials and representatives of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Ulaanbaatar, according to the Tajik state news agency Khovar. According to Tajikistan’s Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, the talks involved Presidential Economic Adviser Ne’matullo Hikmatullozoda, Energy and Water Resources Minister Daler Juma, ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Leah Gutierrez, and Regional...

Waste Management

Bishkek Launches Second Phase of Waste-to-Energy Plant

Lake Balkhash

Kazakhstan and France Develop Master Plan to Preserve Lake Balkhash

Glaciers

Tajikistan Renames Central Asia’s Largest Glacier

UNDP

UNDP Opinion: Central Asia – Shared Wildlife, Shared Landscapes, Shared Responsibility

Recycling

Uzbekistan Draft Proposes Annual Fee for Vehicles Over 30 Years Old

A draft government resolution in Uzbekistan has proposed annual environmental compensation payments for owners of vehicles manufactured 30 or more years ago, as part of a wider plan to regulate end-of-life transport and expand vehicle recycling. The proposal has not yet been adopted. The draft document, titled “On Organizing the Utilization of Vehicles with Expired Service Life and Recycling of Their Components,” was released through official public consultation channels and outlines a phased approach to introducing scrappage and recycling mechanisms across the country. According to the proposal, from January 1, 2027, owners of passenger vehicles manufactured 30 or more years...

Forest Fires

Kazakhstan Develops Specialized Firefighting Vehicle for Forest Fires

Kazakhstan has developed a prototype of a new high-mobility firefighting vehicle designed specifically to combat forest fires, drawing on lessons from the devastating wildfire that swept through the Abai region in 2023, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources said. In June 2023, a major wildfire broke out in the Semey Ormany State Forest Nature Reserve in eastern Kazakhstan’s Abai region, killing 14 forestry workers and burning tens of thousands of hectares of forest. Authorities later estimated the damage at more than $354 million. The disaster prompted forestry and emergency response specialists to conclude that Kazakhstan needed specialized equipment better...

Locust Control

Kazakhstan and China Test Biological Locust Control Agent

Scientists from Kazakhstan and China have completed field trials of a new biological pesticide designed to combat Moroccan locust infestations, offering a possible lower-impact alternative to conventional chemical insecticides. The trials took place in Kazakhstan’s southern Turkestan Region and showed the effectiveness of a biocontrol agent based on the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture. The research was conducted as part of a joint international project focused on developing and demonstrating fungal technologies for preventing and controlling locust outbreaks in transboundary breeding areas. The project involved specialists from Kazakhstan’s Zhazken Zhiembayev Kazakh Research Institute of Plant Protection...

Caspian Sea

Kazakhstan Channels Billions of Cubic Meters Into Caspian Sea

Kazakhstan has channeled 6.16 billion cubic meters of water into the Caspian Sea since the beginning of 2026 as regional governments confront mounting concerns over the long-term decline of the world’s largest inland body of water. The figure was announced by Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, who said more than 35 billion cubic meters of water had been channeled into the Caspian Sea over the past two and a half years. Nearly half of that volume, more than 17 billion cubic meters, came from floodwaters redirected from the Zhaiyk, or Ural, River during the severe spring floods that...

U.S.-Iran Framework Could Reopen Central Asia’s Southern Route

Latest

Features

Features

Defence Deals, Cotton Conscription, and Kyrgyzstan’s UN Victory

Latest

Sunkar Podcast

Defence Deals, Cotton Conscription, and Kyrgyzstan’s UN Victory

Sunkar Podcast

Opinions

Opinions

Dr. Magsud Mammadov

UNDP Representatives in Kazakhstan, Katarzyna Wawiernia, Kyrgyzstan, Alexandra Solovieva, Tajikistan, Sudipto Mukerjee, Turkmenistan, Narine Sahakyan, Uzbekistan, Akiko Fujii.

Zamirbek Minbaev

Aidar Borangaziyev

Ken Moriyasu

Sergey Akhmetov

Timur Serikuly

Matthew Davies

Timur Serikuly

Charles McLean

Ken Moriyasu

Aidar Borangaziyev

Business & Economy

Business & Economy

Kazakhstan Registers Five New Gold Deposits as Jewelers Seek Raw Materials

AIRUN CEO Chingiz Arziev on Building Kyrgyzstan’s Sovereign AI

EBRD Names Tajikistan One of Central Asia’s Fastest-Growing Economies

Uzbekistan to Host Inaugural Silk Road Finance & Technology Forum in August

A History of Kazakhstan Pension Reforms: Between Market and Monopoly

Local Politics

Local Politics

Amanat Adilet Merger as Kazakhstan Prepares for New Parliament

Kyrgyzstan Expands Domestic Drone Production

Kazakhstan’s Party Landscape Enters a Decisive Week

Kyrgyzstan’s Armed Forces Double in Size Amid Rising Defense Spending

Turkmenistan Eases Restrictions for Foreign Tourists

International Affairs

International Affairs

U.S.-Iran Framework Could Reopen Central Asia’s Southern Route

CIS Official Warns Middle East Crisis Could Increase Migration Pressure on Turkmenistan

U.S. Convenes Critical Minerals Dialogue with Central Asian Officials in Kazakhstan

From Culture to Critical Minerals: C5+1 Opens Busy U.S. Week in Central Asia

Megaprojects Instead of Quotas: How Central Asia’s Water Diplomacy Is Changing

Life & Culture

Life & Culture

Kazakh Robotics Team Wins Top Judged Award at U.S. Tech Event

Pannier and Hillard’s Spotlight on Central Asia: New Episode Coming Soon

Almaty Turns to Gault&Millau to Boost Food Tourism

Central Asian Football Stays Active as Uzbekistan Prepares for World Cup

Samarkand’s Sher-Dor Madrasah Restoration Reaches First Milestone With U.S. Support

Justice

Justice

Uzbekistan Toughens Anti-Drug Laws as Synthetic Narcotics and Online Trafficking Rise