The Times Of Central Asia | Eurasian Publication & News Online

The “smart” city of Arkadag, developed at the initiative of Turkmenistan’s National Leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, has once again become the focus of a campaign to “clean up” its population, according to Turkmen.news. Local officials are reportedly conducting apartment inspections to identify residents who do not hold official employment in the...

U.S. Ambassador

U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan Highlights Cultural Diplomacy, AI, and Strategic Partnerships

At a wide-ranging press conference at the U.S. Embassy in Astana, the recently appointed U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Julie M. Stufft, underscored the deepening ties between the United States and Kazakhstan, highlighting cooperation in cultural diplomacy, artificial intelligence, and critical minerals. “I arrived in Astana a month ago, and while...

Afghanistan

Coordination Instead of Declarations: Astana Hosts Meeting of Regional Contact Group on Afghanistan

Z5+1

Germany Builds a Z5+1 in Central Asia

Germany’s meeting on February 11 with the five Central Asian foreign ministers in Berlin formalized the Z5+1 (“Z” for “Zentralasien”) format as a standing work channel. It joins other “plus-one” formats now crowding Central Asia that function as instruments of influence. The United States is using C5+1 to push a...

Kamchybek Tashiyev

After Firing Close Ally Tashiyev, Japarov Says Goal for Kyrgyzstan is Unity

Prison System

Shooting in Tajikistan’s Detention Center: Prosecutor General’s Office Reveals Details of January Incident for the First Time

Sunkar Podcast

Central Asia and the Troubled Southern Route

00:00 / 00:00

Opinions

Opinion – The “Board of Peace” and Afghan Diplomacy: A View from Kabul

Dr. Bismillah Mangal

Opinion: Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Referendum – Strategic Reset or Institutional Consolidation?

Raza Syed

Opinion: Afghanistan and Central Asia – Security Without Illusions

Aidar Borangaziyev

Opinion: The New Silk Road to the Sea – Connecting Central Asia to Karachi and Gwadar

Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo & Engineer Arshad H. Abbasi

Breaking into Project Vault: A U.S. Role for Central Asia’s Strategic Minerals

Dr. Eric Rudenshiold

Opinion: Tokayev’s National Kurultai Address: A Moral Message, Not a Political One

Javier M. Piedra

Opinion: Central Asia–Japan Summit Signals Shift in Eurasian Geoeconomics — and Russia’s Waning Role

Anvar Nazirov

Opinion: Iranian Unrest Creates Opening for U.S., Partners in Central Asia

Nilaya Magidish

Opinion: Prospects for Central Asia’s Access to Persian Gulf Infrastructure

Timur Serikuly

Opinion: Is Uzbekistan Importing a Future Crisis?

William Cui

Opinion: Kazakhstan Bets Big on AI to Power Local and Global Growth

Altair Akhmetov

Opinion: After the UN Gaza Resolution – Kazakhstan’s Potential Role

Timur Serikuly

Business & Economy

Quantum Technologies

Kazakhstan-Singapore Center for Quantum Technologies Opens at Farabi University

The Kazakhstan-Singapore Center for Quantum Technologies has been inaugurated at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in Almaty. The project, implemented in partnership with Singapore-based ASTRASEC PTE. LTD and Qubitera LLP, aims to serve as a foundation for developing a national quantum technology ecosystem in Kazakhstan. According to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the center will focus on both fundamental and applied research, the training of researchers, engineers, and technology entrepreneurs, and the development of quantum-secure communication and computing solutions. It also plans to facilitate the transfer of advanced international expertise and support the creation of joint technology startups. The...

Oil and Gas

Kazakhstan Intends to Accelerate Oil Refining Expansion to 40 Million Tons per Year

Oil and Gas

More Than 20 Promising Oil and Gas Fields Identified in Kazakhstan’s Aral Basin

Trade

Kyrgyzstan Ready to Act as a ‘Gateway’ for Tajik Goods to EAEU and EU Markets

Smart Cities

Ten Years On, Kazakhstan’s Digital Experiment Moves Closer to Citizens

Drones

Kyrgyzstan Tests Technologies for Tracking Civilian Drones

Kyrgyz authorities are evaluating new technological solutions to monitor and control civilian drone flights. A Romanian company recently presented its Argonian UTM and Drone Detection service to the State Agency for Civil Aviation of Kyrgyzstan. The system is designed to determine the location of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and track their flight parameters. According to the agency, company representatives delivered a detailed presentation outlining the system’s operating principles and technical capabilities. Officials expressed particular interest in functions related to UAV detection and real-time monitoring of key flight parameters. Following the presentation, a practical demonstration was conducted in an urban area...

Hydropower

Kazakhstan Intends to Triple Its Hydropower Capacity by 2030

Kazakhstan plans to significantly expand its hydropower capacity over the next five years. By the end of 2030, the country intends to commission new hydropower plants with a combined capacity of approximately 660 MW, nearly tripling the sector’s current installed capacity, according to the Ministry of Energy. At present, 43 hydropower facilities operate in Kazakhstan with a total installed capacity of 313 MW. The implementation of agreements already concluded is expected to raise this figure to nearly 1 GW, substantially increasing the contribution of hydropower to the national energy mix. In 2025, an additional project was added to the portfolio:...

Rogun Hydropower Plant

Tajikistan Plans Over $1 Billion for Rogun Hydropower Project in 2026

The government of Tajikistan plans to allocate at least 10 billion TJS (more than $1 billion) to finance the Rogun hydropower project in 2026, Finance Minister Faiziddin Qahhorzoda said on February 13 at a press conference in Dushanbe. The statement was later released by the Ministry of Finance and reported by Asia-Plus. Qahhorzoda specified that 8.2 billion TJS has already been earmarked in the state budget for completion of the Rogun hydropower plant. He added that additional financing could be mobilized through development partners, as agreements have been signed and the required domestic procedures and partner conditions have been fulfilled....

Gig Economy

Taxing the Gig Economy in Kazakhstan

Beginning in 2026, Kazakhstan plans to introduce enhanced oversight of citizens’ mobile transfers. Officially, the measure is framed as part of efforts to combat tax evasion. In practice, however, it represents a large-scale fiscalization of the gig economy, which employs hundreds of thousands of taxi drivers and couriers. The primary focus of the campaign is workers on digital platforms, including ride-hailing and delivery services. The authorities classify them as individual entrepreneurs who underreport or conceal income. Yet the economic reality is more complex: for many, this is less a shadow economy than a form of concealed unemployment operating under the...

Local Politics

TCA Interviews

Kyrgyzstan Between the Russian World and Global Chaos: An Interview With Deputy Prime Minister Edil Baisalov

Edil Baisalov is a politician who began his career as a civil-rights activist, became a prominent member of Kyrgyzstan’s non-governmental organization (NGO) sector, and is now serving as the country’s Deputy Prime Minister. In an exclusive interview with The Times of Central Asia, he explained not only how his views have changed over the years, but also how Kyrgyzstan is seeking to find its place in what he described as a rapidly changing global landscape. In Baisalov’s assessment, the global system is facing a crisis of democracy. “The world order, as we know it, is collapsing – or at least...

Arkadag

Turkmen Arkadag Without “Unnecessary” People: Crackdown on Residents Without Jobs or Registration Intensifies

Emomali Rahmon

After Absence, Tajikistan’s Rahmon Highlights a Daily Schedule

Constitution

Opinion: Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Referendum – Strategic Reset or Institutional Consolidation?

Constitution

Six Months to Rewrite the State: Kazakhstan Accelerates Its Constitutional Reset

Power Struggle

Japarov Breaks the Kyrgyz Tandem

When Kamchybek Tashiyev returned to Bishkek from medical travel abroad after losing his post as Chairman of the State Committee for National Security (GKNB), as well as the deputy chairmanship of the Cabinet of Ministers, he returned to a system already being disassembled. Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov dismissed him on February 10, ending a five-year arrangement in which the presidency and the security apparatus were closely fused. The decision deliberately dismantled the governing tandem that had defined Kyrgyzstan’s power structure since 2020. The immediate question was whether this was a closing of an episode or the opening of a new...

Kamchybek Tashiyev

After Firing Close Ally Tashiyev, Japarov Says Goal for Kyrgyzstan is Unity

Kyrgyzstan's President Sadyr Japarov, who fired his powerful security chief Kamchybek Tashiyev last week, says he plans to wipe out the “disease” of division between northern and southern groups in the country. In an interview published on Monday by the state Kabar news agency, Japarov spoke about his broader vision for Kyrgyzstan in some of his most detailed comments since the dismissal of Tashiyev, the head of the State Committee for National Security who campaigned effectively against organized crime and was a close confidant of the president. Some criticism of Japarov suggests he made the move to amass more power...

Referendum

Cost of Holding Referendum on Kazakhstan’s New Constitution Estimated at $42 Million

The cost of holding a national referendum on the adoption of Kazakhstan’s new Constitution is preliminarily estimated at 20.8 billion tenge (KZT), or approximately $42 million at the current exchange rate. The figure was announced at a press conference by Mikhail Bortnik, a member of Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission. According to Bortnik, the estimate is currently under review by the Ministry of Finance, and the final amount will be approved at a later stage. These expenses are not included in the approved republican budget for 2026; funding is expected to be allocated from the government reserve. Approximately 75% of the...

Politics

Amid Questions, Tajikistan’s Presidency Says Rahmon Has Upcoming Meetings

President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan has several meetings in the coming days, his office said this week, following reports that the leader had not been seen in public this month. Rahmon, 73, will meet Zou Jiayi, head of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, as well as Kazakhstani Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev, who will visit Tajikistan, the presidential office said on Wednesday. Zou took up her job as president of the Beijing-based bank last month. Kosherbayev, who assumed his position in September, was scheduled to visit Kyrgyzstan on Thursday and Friday, media in Kyrgyzstan reported. “Several other events are also planned...

International Affairs

Foreign Policy

Turning Rivalry into Opportunity: Kazakhstan’s Strategic Autonomy

Over the past decade, global geopolitics has witnessed a clear return to Great Power competition, reviving elements of Cold War-style rivalry and a pronounced East-West divide. Yet, contrary to the belief that international relations are defined exclusively by great powers, the countries of Central Asia, historically perceived as chess pieces between Moscow, Washington, and Beijing, have been exercising their own autonomy and asserting independent foreign policy paths. Kazakhstan, the region’s largest and most resilient economy, has arguably emerged as a leading example of this movement. Through a careful balancing strategy, Kazakhstan has worked to avoid firmly aligning itself with any...

U.S. Ambassador

U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan Highlights Cultural Diplomacy, AI, and Strategic Partnerships

Z5+1

Germany Builds a Z5+1 in Central Asia

Board of Peace

Central Asia and Azerbaijan on Board as the Gaza Peace Effort Gets Underway

TRIPP

TRIPP and the Middle Corridor After Vance

Israel

Hundreds of Central Asian Nationals Have Served in Israeli Army During Gaza War

Hundreds of citizens from Central Asia have served in the Israeli military during its ongoing campaign in Gaza, according to an analytical report published by Al Jazeera, which cited official data provided by Israeli sources. The data, shared with Al Jazeera by Israeli lawyer Elad Man, legal counsel for the organization Hatzlacha, indicates that as of March 2025, thousands of foreign nationals were enlisted in the Israeli army, 17 months after the outbreak of the war in Gaza in October 2023. Among them were 264 individuals holding Uzbek citizenship, according to the report. The publication noted that these individuals were...

Afghanistan

Coordination Instead of Declarations: Astana Hosts Meeting of Regional Contact Group on Afghanistan

On Monday, Astana hosted an extraordinary meeting of the Regional Contact Group of Special Representatives of Central Asian Countries on Afghanistan, with delegations from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan in attendance. The agenda focused on trade and economic cooperation with Afghanistan, including joint projects, investment protection, transit tariff policy, and the development of transport corridors through Afghan territory. The establishment of the group represents the practical implementation of agreements reached at the Sixth Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia, held in Astana in August 2024, and reflected in the Roadmap for Regional Cooperation for 2025-2027. The...

Board of Peace

Opinion – The “Board of Peace” and Afghan Diplomacy: A View from Kabul

A new trend is becoming increasingly apparent in global politics: key decisions are being discussed not only within traditional international institutions but also through more flexible political and diplomatic formats. One such initiative is the announcement of the creation of the “Board of Peace” by U.S. President Donald Trump, a structure that, according to its authors, is intended to provide an alternative mechanism for conflict resolution. Reactions have been mixed. Some states view the new platform as an opportunity to enhance the effectiveness of peace efforts; others warn that it could weaken existing institutions, particularly the United Nations, and contribute...

Sports

Astana to Host UEFA Congress in 2027

The Union of European Football Associations has announced that the 51st UEFA Congress, at which a new president and members of the organization’s Executive Committee will be elected, will take place on March 4, 2027, in Astana. The decision was announced at the 50th anniversary UEFA Congress in Brussels. Kazakhstan was represented at the event by David Loria, Secretary General of the Kazakhstan Football Federation (KFF). The KFF confirmed the selection of the Kazakh capital as the venue for the next congress. UEFA brings together 55 national football associations and is responsible for organizing major international tournaments for clubs and...

Life & Culture

Nurlan Saburov

Nurlan Saburov Case Sparks Speculation After Russia Entry Ban and Kazakhstan Security Check

A wave of speculation has followed reports that stand-up comedian Nurlan Saburov, a Kazakh citizen who has worked in Russia for years, has been barred from entering Russia for 50 years. After returning to Kazakhstan, Saburov became the subject of “verification measures” by the National Security Committee (KNB) following online allegations linking him to a Russian private military formation. The entry ban prompted widespread discussion in both countries. In Russia, some commentators suggested the decision could be connected to Saburov’s refusal to publicly support Russia’s war in Ukraine. Russian lawmaker Vitaly Milonov, for example, urged the comedian to make a...

Motorsports

Uzbekistan’s Umarov Appointed to Board of World Motorsport Body

Society

On the Eve of Valentine’s Day: Customs of Love and Marriage in Central Asia

Tourism

Kyrgyzstan Moves to Expand Domestic and International Rail Tourism

Population

Uzbekistan’s Population Reaches 38.2 Million Despite Second Year of Declining Birth Rate

Health

How Kazakhstan Once Again Finds Itself Vulnerable to Measles

Kazakhstan is once again experiencing a rise in measles cases. According to the Ministry of Health, nearly 2,000 infections were registered between the beginning of the year and February 5, accounting for almost half of the total recorded in 2024. Analysts at Energyprom.kz attribute the renewed outbreak to systemic gaps in prevention and declining vaccination coverage. Over the past decade, measles incidence in Kazakhstan has fluctuated significantly. In 2017, 2021, and 2022, the country reported only isolated cases and was considered close to eliminating the disease. However, the situation deteriorated sharply in 2023-2024. In 2023, reported cases surged to 29,700....

Winter Olympic Games

Figure Skater Shaidorov Delivers Gold for Kazakhstan at Winter Olympics

Mikhail Shaidorov of Kazakhstan won his country’s first gold medal in figure skating at the Winter Olympics, while the favorite, Ilia Malinin of the United States, finished eighth after falling twice during his program. Secured with five quadruple jumps, Shaidorov's unexpected win in Italy on Friday also marked the first gold medal for Kazakhstan in any sport at a Winter Olympics since the games in Lillehammer, Norway in 1994. In those games, Vladimir Smirnov came first in cross-country skiing. "To be honest, I still can't believe it. I struggled with myself throughout the season. This season was very tough for...

Podcast

Pannier and Hillard’s Spotlight on Central Asia: New Episode – B5+1, Sanctions, and a New Constitution – Out Now

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 covering the B5+1 summit in Bishkek, the prospect of new EU sanctions targeting Kyrgyzstan, fresh...

Healthcare

Uzbekistan and Russia to Develop Nuclear Medicine Strategy Ahead of 2026 Center Opening

Uzbekistan will develop a roadmap and long-term strategy for the advancement of nuclear medicine, according to the press service of the Atomic Energy Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers, Uzatom. The announcement followed a working meeting held on February 10 at Uzatom to discuss prospects for expanding nuclear medicine in the country. The meeting brought together representatives of the Ministry of Health, the Healthcare Projects Center, the Committee for Industrial, Radiation and Nuclear Safety, the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Academy of Sciences, the state enterprise Radiopreparat, leading medical centers, and experts from Rosatom’s engineering division, underscoring growing cooperation...

Justice

Violence against women

Second Uzbek Woman Confirmed Dead in Istanbul Murder Case

A second Uzbek national has been confirmed dead in Istanbul, according to the Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Istanbul. The victim, identified as Sayyora Ergashalieva, born in 1994 in the Namangan region, had previously been reported missing. Turkish law enforcement authorities informed the consulate that Ergashalieva disappeared shortly after the killing of her close friend, Durdona Khakimova, whose dismembered body was discovered in a garbage container in Istanbul in January 2026. Ergashalieva and Khakimova were reportedly close friends. According to Turkish media reports, Ergashalieva’s family in Uzbekistan lost contact with her after January 23 and sought assistance from the Uzbek...

Aigul Sailybayeva

Murder of Aigul Sailybayeva: Husband Among Key Suspects in Ongoing Investigation

Fraud

Telephone Scammers in Kyrgyzstan Begin Using AI Tools

Healthcare regulation

Kazakhstan Moves to Regulate Chinese Medicine Clinics

Ministerial Dismissals

Uzbekistan Fires Counter-Narcotics Chief as Drug Trade Surges

Prison System

Shooting in Tajikistan’s Detention Center: Prosecutor General’s Office Reveals Details of January Incident for the First Time

Tajik authorities have for the first time officially commented on the incident on January 31 at a detention facility in the city of Khujand. Tajikistan’s Prosecutor General, Khabibullo Vokhidzoda, disclosed details during a press conference in Dushanbe that was reported by Asia-Plus. Vokhidzoda confirmed that an armed confrontation took place at the Khujand pre-trial detention center. According to him, three prisoners attacked facility staff while in the exercise yard. The prosecutor general stated that the inmates used “various objects” to inflict bodily harm on staff members and assaulted another prisoner who was present. He said they ignored repeated demands to...

Online Safety

Uzbek Minister Says No Evidence of 15 Million Citizens’ Data Leak

In early February, The Times of Central Asia reported that the personal data of Uzbek citizens may have been leaked from government information systems and circulated on darknet forums. The report followed online discussions alleging that databases linked to state institutions were being distributed via anonymous platforms. According to posts shared on Reddit, links to online repositories, including darknet resources, allegedly contained data obtained from Uzbek state institutions. Some users claimed the breach could involve the personal information of up to 15 million citizens. The allegations quickly spread across social media, prompting public concern and official responses. On February 12,...

Social Media

Kazakhstan Proposes Restrictions on Social Media Access for Minors

An active and ongoing debate is taking place in Kazakhstan over proposed amendments to legislation that would ban children under the age of 16 from using social media. The initiative has been raised repeatedly by lawmakers, although many experts believe teenagers would still find ways to circumvent such restrictions. The primary objective cited by lawmakers is to protect children from harmful content, including violence and pornography, and to reduce cyberbullying. The Ministry of Culture and Information has already prepared draft amendments that would affect the regulation of social media. Mechanisms for verifying users’ ages will be developed jointly with the...

Karachaganak

Why Kazakhstan Is Not Celebrating Its Multi-Billion-Dollar Win in the Karachaganak Oil Arbitration Just Yet

In late January 2026, international media reported that Kazakhstan had won a significant arbitration case against the shareholders of the Karachaganak oil field, with compensation estimated between $2 billion and $4 billion. The Ministry of Energy has not commented on the substance of the ruling, citing confidentiality, though experts say it strengthens Kazakhstan’s position in ongoing legal proceedings related to the Kashagan oil field. According to Bloomberg and Reuters, the Kazakh government initiated legal action in 2023 over what it described as unjustified cost deductions. Originally filed for $3.5 billion, the claim later expanded to include additional allegations, such as...

Environment

Traffic Regulations

Kazakhstan May Introduce Traffic Restrictions Based on Beijing Model

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources has proposed that city authorities draw on Beijing’s experience in restricting private vehicle traffic on days with unfavorable weather conditions as part of efforts to combat air pollution. Beijing has operated an “even-odd” traffic system since 2011, under which vehicles with even-numbered license plates may drive on even dates, and those with odd-numbered plates on odd dates. While the measure in the Chinese capital was initially introduced to reduce traffic congestion, in Kazakhstan, it is being considered primarily as a tool to improve air quality. After reviewing Beijing’s practice, the ministry has instructed...

Water-Saving Technologies

Kyrgyzstan Plans Full Transition to Water-Saving Irrigation in Issyk-Kul Region

Water Access

Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan Resume Data Sharing on Reservoirs and Transboundary Rivers

Rogun Hydropower Plant

Rogun Dam’s Cross-Border Environmental Impact Draws Scrutiny

Qosh Tepa Canal

Opinion – Qosh Tepa Canal: Transboundary Impacts Without a Transboundary Mechanism

Air Pollution

Choking on Smog: Air Crisis in Öskemen Deepens

Heavy smog and sustained NMU-II adverse meteorological conditions reported by Kazhydromet continue to affect the city of Öskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk) in eastern Kazakhstan, after authorities moved all students in grades 0–11 to remote learning on February 2. The decision followed several days of windless weather and a temperature inversion that trapped pollutants close to the ground. According to Kazhydromet forecasts, unfavorable meteorological conditions are likely to remain in place, limiting dispersion. Air quality monitoring platforms show persistent spikes in fine particulate matter, raising renewed health concerns among residents. Data from IQAir indicates that PM2.5 concentrations in Öskemen have at times reached...

Wildlife Conservation

Up to Eighty Persian Leopards Now Roam Turkmenistan

Between 60 and 80 Caucasian leopards, also known as Persian leopards, currently inhabit Turkmenistan, according to extensive monitoring conducted throughout 2025. The findings confirm not only the stable presence of this rare predator in key ecological zones but also provide encouraging signs of population recovery. A recent report by Conservation X Labs estimates Turkmenistan’s Persian leopard population at 60-80 individuals. Most breeding activity occurs within protected natural reserves, while border zones serve as critical migration corridors that support the dispersal and genetic diversity of the species. The Persian leopard is one of the largest leopard subspecies and plays a vital...

Water Resources

Kyrgyz MP Questions Why Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan Don’t Pay for Irrigation Water

A long-standing debate over Kyrgyzstan’s water resources resurfaced this week after a member of parliament questioned why Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan do not compensate Kyrgyzstan for irrigation water sourced from its reservoirs, according to a report by Kaktus Media. Speaking at a February 9 meeting of the parliamentary committee on agrarian policy, water resources, ecology, and subsoil use, MP Umbetaly Kydyraliev raised concerns about growing water shortages caused by climate change and the lack of economic return from water exports to neighboring countries. “About 80% of the water in our reservoirs goes to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan,” said Kydyraliev. “How are we...

Lake Issyk-Kul

Kyrgyzstan Draws International Attention to Climate Risks for Lake Issyk-Kul

Speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai on February 4, Bakyt Torobaev, Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry, highlighted the growing threat climate change poses to Lake Issyk-Kul, the country’s largest lake, a unique ecological reserve, and one of Central Asia’s leading tourist destinations. Torobaev described Issyk-Kul as a unique ecosystem of regional significance and a vital socioeconomic and environmental resource for Kyrgyzstan. However, in recent decades, the lake has experienced serious climate-related pressures, according to the Ministry of Water Resources. Since the mid-19th century, the lake’s water...

Kyrgyzstan Between the Russian World and Global Chaos: An Interview With Deputy Prime Minister Edil Baisalov

Latest

Features

Features

Latest

Sunkar Podcast

Sunkar Podcast

Opinions

Opinions

Dr. Bismillah Mangal

Raza Syed

Aidar Borangaziyev

Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo & Engineer Arshad H. Abbasi

Dr. Eric Rudenshiold

Javier M. Piedra

Anvar Nazirov

Nilaya Magidish

Timur Serikuly

William Cui

Altair Akhmetov

Timur Serikuly

Business & Economy

Business & Economy

Kazakhstan-Singapore Center for Quantum Technologies Opens at Farabi University

Kyrgyzstan Tests Technologies for Tracking Civilian Drones

Kazakhstan Intends to Triple Its Hydropower Capacity by 2030

Tajikistan Plans Over $1 Billion for Rogun Hydropower Project in 2026

Taxing the Gig Economy in Kazakhstan

Local Politics

Local Politics

Kyrgyzstan Between the Russian World and Global Chaos: An Interview With Deputy Prime Minister Edil Baisalov

Japarov Breaks the Kyrgyz Tandem

After Firing Close Ally Tashiyev, Japarov Says Goal for Kyrgyzstan is Unity

Cost of Holding Referendum on Kazakhstan’s New Constitution Estimated at $42 Million

Amid Questions, Tajikistan’s Presidency Says Rahmon Has Upcoming Meetings

International Affairs

International Affairs

Turning Rivalry into Opportunity: Kazakhstan’s Strategic Autonomy

Hundreds of Central Asian Nationals Have Served in Israeli Army During Gaza War

Coordination Instead of Declarations: Astana Hosts Meeting of Regional Contact Group on Afghanistan

Opinion – The “Board of Peace” and Afghan Diplomacy: A View from Kabul

Astana to Host UEFA Congress in 2027

Life & Culture

Life & Culture

Nurlan Saburov Case Sparks Speculation After Russia Entry Ban and Kazakhstan Security Check

How Kazakhstan Once Again Finds Itself Vulnerable to Measles

Figure Skater Shaidorov Delivers Gold for Kazakhstan at Winter Olympics

Pannier and Hillard’s Spotlight on Central Asia: New Episode – B5+1, Sanctions, and a New Constitution – Out Now

Uzbekistan and Russia to Develop Nuclear Medicine Strategy Ahead of 2026 Center Opening

Justice

Justice

Second Uzbek Woman Confirmed Dead in Istanbul Murder Case