The Times Of Central Asia | Eurasian Publication & News Online

Russia remains the main destination for many Central Asian labor migrants, but its dominance is weakening. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Western sanctions, tougher Russian migration rules, and rising hostility toward migrants have pushed workers from the region to look elsewhere. South Korea, the Gulf states, the...

U.S.-Kazakhstan Relations

U.S. Business Push in Central Asia Moves From Dialogue to Deals

The pace of U.S. commercial engagement in Central Asia has quickened in recent weeks, with business delegations, export-finance officials, and sector-specific agreements appearing across the region. In June, a U.S. business delegation discussed investment opportunities in Turkmenistan, while Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign...

Constitutional Reform

Kazakhstan’s Parliament Gives Way to New Kurultai Under Tokayev’s Constitutional Reset

Venice Biennale

The Works That Waited: Uzbek Artist Vyacheslav Akhunov in Venice

Central Asia has made a striking impression at this year’s Venice Biennale. At the 61st International Art Exhibition, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan have each claimed visible space through national pavilions that speak to different realities: environmental devastation, shifting cultural identity, memory, and the long afterlife of Soviet power. The national...

Kazakh Coalitions, Kyrgyz Security Signals, and Uncovering Disinformation Networks in Central Asia

00:00 / 00:00

Sunkar Podcast

Kazakhstan to Host 2027 Table Tennis World Championships

00:00 / 00:00

Opinions

Opinion: The Amu Darya Stress Test – Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and the Politics of Agricultural Adaptation

Zamirbek Minbaev

Opinion: Kazakhstan’s New Income Growth Plan – Administrative Measures Against Market Realities

Igor Klevtsov

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

Business & Economy

Tech Startups

Uzbekistan Expands President Tech Award to $5 Million, Launches $1 Million AI Startup Competition

IT Park Uzbekistan has opened a new season of the President Tech Award, the country’s largest technology competition, and launched a separate national contest focused on artificial intelligence, the President AI Award. The official presentation of both programs took place on July 1 during the Powering the Startup Ecosystem event at the Congress Hall of Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Digital Technologies. Organizers said the competitions will support technology startups through grants, venture investment, mentoring, and access to international markets. Azamat Karamatov, CEO of IT Park Uzbekistan, said the decision to increase the President Tech Award prize pool to $5 million and...

Education Reform

World Bank Approves $100 Million to Improve Primary Education in Uzbekistan

Development Finance

Kazakhstan Invites Islamic Development Bank to Open New Astana Office

Food Security

Tajikistan Nearly Halves Undernourishment, but Healthy Diets Remain Out of Reach for Many

Fuel Prices

AI-92 Gasoline Price in Uzbekistan Hits Record High Amid Regional Fuel Pressures

Energy Security

Kazakhstan Expects to Double Renewable Energy Capacity by 2029

Kazakhstan expects to fully meet domestic electricity demand by early 2027 and move into a stable power surplus by 2029, partly through a planned doubling of renewable energy capacity, Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said at a government meeting. Akkenzhenov said Kazakhstan’s power system currently includes 254 generation facilities, including 172 renewable energy installations. Conventional energy sources still dominate the country’s power mix. Coal-fired plants account for 13.7 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity, gas-fired plants for 7.1 GW, and large hydropower stations for 2.5 GW. Kazakhstan’s total installed generating capacity stands at 27.1 GW, while renewable energy facilities account for 3.8...

Rail Logistics

Kyrgyzstan to Build Railway Logistics Center with EBRD and EU Support

Kyrgyzstan’s national railway company, Kyrgyz Temir Jolu, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the European Union have launched a project to build a modern railway logistics center at Ivanovka station, around 45 kilometers east of Bishkek. The parties agreed on the project during a July 1 meeting, with the EBRD committing grant support for the preparation of a feasibility study. According to Kyrgyz Temir Jolu, the planned logistics hub is expected to make freight transport more efficient and expand Kyrgyzstan’s transit capacity. The company said it would also improve conditions for international transport links. Ivanovka station is...

Regional Cooperation

Turkmenistan Signs Regional Cooperation Treaty, Reaffirm $1 Billion Kazakh Trade Target

Turkmenistan has signed the Treaty on Friendship, Good-Neighborliness, and Cooperation for the Development of Central Asia in the 21st Century, completing another step in the five-country regional agreement during Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev’s official visit to Ashgabat, Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry said. During the visit, Kosherbayev was received by Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and held talks with Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov. The sides discussed political ties, trade and investment, transport and logistics, energy cooperation, and humanitarian exchanges. The two countries also signed a cooperation program between their foreign ministries for 2027-2028. Trade expansion was one of the key issues on...

Investment Inflows

Kyrgyzstan Reports 34% Growth in Foreign Direct Investment in First Quarter of 2026

Kyrgyzstan attracted $386.7 million in foreign direct investment in the first quarter of 2026, up 34% from $288.2 million during the same period last year, according to the latest data from the National Investment Agency under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic. The strongest inflow was recorded in the financial and insurance sector, which drew $93.6 million, followed by the manufacturing sector with $90.1 million. Investment in wholesale and retail trade rose to $64.5 million, while foreign direct investment in information and communications increased by 75% year-on-year to $46.9 million. The sharpest increase came in the professional, scientific, and technical...

Local Politics

Kazakhstan Constitution

Tokayev Sets August 23 Election Date as Kazakhstan’s New Constitution Takes Effect

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared the start of a “new era” in the country’s history on July 1, as Kazakhstan’s new Constitution officially came into force following its approval in a nationwide referendum on March 15. “Today marks the beginning of a new era in the history of sovereign Kazakhstan. We are embarking on the path of steady progress, political and economic reforms, and large-scale modernization,” Tokayev said in an official address published on the presidential website. According to Tokayev, the new Constitution represents a fundamental restructuring of Kazakhstan’s political system and a transformation of the country’s key state and...

State-Controlled Religion

Turkmenistan’s Chief Mufti Replacement Recalls Earlier Dismissals

Kyrgyz-Uzbek Border

Chongara and Tash-Tobo: The Villages That Changed Countries Without Moving

Biometric Identification

Turkmen Passport Applicants Sent for Medical Certificates After Fingerprint Scanner Failures

Digital Development

Turkmenistan’s Digital Push Gains Ground Despite Tight Internet Controls

Constitutional Reform

Kazakhstan’s Parliament Gives Way to New Kurultai Under Tokayev’s Constitutional Reset

Kazakhstan’s bicameral parliament held its final joint session in Astana on June 30, closing a 30-year legislative era before the new Constitution takes effect on July 1. The change will replace the Senate and Mazhilis with a single-chamber Kurultai. Elections to the new body are expected in August, with 145 deputies to be elected through party lists. No current deputy will transfer automatically into the new chamber, giving the coming vote direct importance for Kazakhstan’s parties and for President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s wider state overhaul. Addressing the final joint session, Tokayev framed the change as more than an administrative reform. He...

Kazakhstan's Parliament

Kurultai Election Campaign Takes Shape in Parliament’s Final Budget Debate

Kazakhstan's outgoing parliament spent one of its final sessions debating the government's management of the 2025 budget, in what often resembled a dress rehearsal for the country's first Kurultai election campaign. On July 1, Kazakhstan’s new constitution will enter into force, replacing the current Senate and Mazhilis with a single-chamber Kurultai. The new legislature will have 145 deputies elected through party lists, and elections are expected in August. No current deputy will transfer automatically into the new chamber. Those who want to remain in national politics will need a place on a party list and a fresh mandate. That gave...

Mary Power Outages

Power Outages in Turkmenistan Lead to Dismissals as Blackouts Continue

Complaints from residents of Turkmenistan’s Mary Region over widespread power outages have led to inspections and the dismissal of several local officials, but electricity disruptions continue, Turkmen.news reported. The outages began in mid-June during extreme heat, with temperatures in the region regularly exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. Residents have struggled to use air conditioners, refrigerators, and water pumps. Locals say power has been cut almost daily for three to four hours at a time. On June 17, hundreds of residents, mostly women from the Bayramaly district, gathered outside the Mary regional administration building and demanded a solution, Radio Azatlyk reported. The...

Healthcare

Tokayev Says Kazakhstan Offers Healthcare Benefits Unavailable in Some Western Countries

Kazakhstan provides its citizens with a range of social guarantees that, according to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, are unavailable even in some of the world’s most developed countries. Tokayev made the remarks during an awards ceremony for healthcare workers ahead of their professional holiday. Kazakhstan marks Medical Workers’ Day annually on the third Sunday of June, which falls on June 21 this year. Speaking at the ceremony, Tokayev said Kazakhstan remains a social state and that fulfilling social obligations is a constitutional responsibility of all branches of government. He noted that more than 9 trillion tenge, or almost $18 billion, was...

International Affairs

Humanitarian Aid

Twenty-Five Years Ago, Karimov and Powell Opened a Humanitarian Lifeline. Today, Global Support Wanes

During the first week of June 2026, World Food Programme Afghanistan Country Director John Aylieff, Supply Chain Officer Shukhratmirzo Khodzhaev, and TCA’s Javier M Piedra visited the Termez–Hairatan border crossing and the Termez Free Economic Zone (TFEZ), a logistics hub between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan on the Amu Darya River. The trip was organized by the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies (ISRS) in connection with Termez Dialogue 2026, a flagship Uzbekistan initiative designed to advance economic integration, trade, and cultural exchange across Central and South Asia. For 25 years, Uzbekistan has maintained the Termez crossing as a key humanitarian gateway,...

Afghanistan-Pakistan Conflict

Pakistani Airstrikes in Afghanistan Kill at Least 28 Civilians, UN Says

Tajik-Afghan Border

CSTO Says Tajik-Afghan Border Security Remains “Complicated”

Tajikistan-UK Education Cooperation

Tajikistan and UK Expand Cooperation in Education and Science

EU-Kazakhstan Cooperation

Tokayev’s Brussels Visit Brings Aviation Pact, Visa Progress and $12 Billion Business Package

Tajik-Afghan Border

Chinese Workers Return to Tajik Highway Under Guard After Afghan Border Attacks

Chinese engineers and workers have returned to a highway site in eastern Tajikistan under armed protection. Their return restarts work on a road toward China that stopped after two attacks from Afghanistan killed five Chinese nationals in November. Tajikistan's Transport Ministry said Chinese specialists came back in April to the Kalai-Khumb to Vanj section of the Dushanbe-Kulma highway in Gorno-Badakhshan. They are advising local crews, pouring concrete, fitting tunnel lighting and completing other works. Ozodi said its correspondent saw Tajik special forces guarding Chinese workers in Darvaz in late May, but security officers did not allow photos or video. The...

Cross-Border Trade

New Kyrgyzstan Ship Registry Raises Oversight Questions

Kyrgyzstan is preparing to enter the global ship-registration market despite having no direct access to the sea, a move that could generate revenue but also expose the country to new regulatory and reputational risks. Kyrgyz lawmakers have adopted legislation allowing merchant ships to register under the national flag, giving the landlocked Central Asian country a potential foothold in an industry normally associated with maritime powers. Lawmakers approved the Merchant Shipping Code and related legislation in late June, including provisions for Kyrgyzstan's accession to 14 international conventions developed under the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The Ministry of Economy and Commerce says...

Middle Corridor

Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan Tighten Ties, Supporting Middle Corridor

The main maritime route between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan is about 300 kilometers long, linking the area around the Azerbaijani capital of Baku on the west coast of the Caspian Sea to Turkmenbashi port on the east coast. Now the leaders of the two countries are pursuing a years-long effort to bring their nations closer together – economically and diplomatically. The growing cooperation has broader implications for international trade because the Caspian Sea route is a critical part of a trade network dubbed the Middle Corridor, which connects China and Europe via Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Türkiye. The Middle Corridor...

Middle East Crisis

The Fragile U.S.–Iran Truce: What Central Asia Stands to Gain and Lose

The preliminary memorandum signed in mid-June between the United States and Iran, followed by renewed talks between Washington and Tehran, has extended a U.S.–Iran truce and opened a 60-day window for negotiations on a final agreement. The nuclear terms remain unresolved, while Israel’s continued military presence in southern Lebanon, despite U.S. pressure for a withdrawal, underscores how fragile the broader regional de-escalation remains. At the end of this period, the parties may sign a final agreement, return to hostilities, or mutually agree to extend the interim arrangement. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, along with neighboring Azerbaijan, have welcomed efforts to...

Life & Culture

Contemporary Ballet

Kazakhstan’s Astana Ballet Stages a Dance of Gold and Steppe Wind

The Astana Ballet hosted the premiere of Altyn Gul - The Secret of the Golden Tulip, a production that has drawn attention in the art community. In the new performance, archaeology and national mythology meet contemporary choreography in a single stage narrative. The theater’s chief choreographer, Abubakhrieva Mukaram Saidakimovna, known professionally as Mukaram Avakhri, an Honored Worker of Kazakhstan, turned to one of the most recognizable symbols of the Kazakh steppe, the wild tulip, transforming it into a metaphor for memory, continuity, and the search for identity. From the first minutes, the audience was captivated by the beauty of the...

Venice Biennale

The Works That Waited: Uzbek Artist Vyacheslav Akhunov in Venice

TCA Interviews

Emre Erdur Interview: Central Asia’s Visual Language

FIFA World Cup

Uzbekistan World Cup Ends With Reality Check After DR Congo Defeat

World Cup 2026

World Cup: Ronaldo Makes History as Portugal Rout Uzbekistan 5-0

Nuclear Legacy

Kurchatov: Kazakhstan’s Atomic City Finds New Life After Nuclear Tests

Strong winds, scorching sun, abandoned five-story apartment blocks standing next to occupied homes, crows and horses wandering the streets: this is how Kurchatov appears to visitors today. Once closed to outsiders, the city was the heart of Soviet nuclear science and military power. More than three decades after the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site, how does this unique corner of Kazakhstan live now? Construction of the test site began on August 21, 1947. It covered 18,500 square kilometers at the intersection of what are now the Abai, Pavlodar, and Karaganda regions. Two years later, on August 29, 1949,...

Historical Research

Opinion: Scents of the Silk Road – Recreating the World of 1001 Nights

Editor’s note: This guest essay is by Efim Rezvan, editor-in-chief of Manuscripta Orientalia and a researcher involved in the Essences of the 1001 Nights project. What was the most valuable cargo carried by medieval caravans crossing Central Asia, or aboard Arab-Muslim ships transporting goods through the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea to the Middle East and Europe? Silk? Porcelain? Yes, in terms of overall volume, that is true. But if we compare volume or weight with value, prized incense and aromatic resins rank among the most valuable goods, with some varieties often compared with gold. Historical data and modern...

Higher Education

Uzbekistan’s Universities Climb Sustainability Rankings as Afghan Training Program Expands

Fifty higher education institutions from Uzbekistan have been included in the Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026, marking another year of strong international recognition for the country’s universities. The results were announced on June 24 during the Global Sustainable Development Congress in Jakarta, Indonesia, while separate education initiatives in southern Uzbekistan are also extending training opportunities to hundreds of Afghan citizens. The THE Sustainability Impact Ratings assess how universities contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), evaluating performance across education, research, governance, social responsibility, environmental sustainability, and international cooperation. According to the ranking results, 24 Uzbek...

TCA Interviews

From Bishkek to Yakutsk: What Unites Eurasia’s Emerging Cinema

Stepan Burnashev is a Sakha filmmaker from Yakutia who has helped bring Yakut cinema to audiences far beyond the republic. His films have screened at international festivals, appeared on Amazon, and helped turn Yakut cinema into one of the most distinctive regional film movements in Eurasia. In Bishkek, where Burnashev served on the jury of the national KyrgyzBox section, The Times of Central Asia spoke with him about the phenomenon of Yakut cinema, international ambitions, and what connects Yakutsk, Bishkek, and other emerging cinemas of Eurasia. TCA: Stepan, this is not your first time attending the Bishkek International Film Festival....

Justice

Digital Rights

Turkmenistan Fines Citizens Over Social Media Likes as Digital Controls Tighten

Authorities in Turkmenistan have tightened control over citizens’ online activity, with district courts in Ashgabat reportedly hearing administrative cases daily against people accused of liking or commenting on posts critical of the government on TikTok, YouTube, and other social media platforms. The cases were reported by Chronicles of Turkmenistan. The platforms in question remain inaccessible in Turkmenistan without VPN services, which the government has systematically tried to block. According to available information, security services are identifying citizens who regularly visit banned online resources. Those individuals are then summoned to police stations, where they are interrogated and warned about the consequences...

EU-Turkmenistan Relations

EU-Turkmenistan Human Rights Dialogue Presses Ashgabat on Rights

Surrogacy Recruitment

Central Asian Women Recruited Into Georgia’s Surrogacy Market via Social Media

Police Drones

Kazakhstan Opens Drone Operator Training Lab for Interior Ministry

Saddam Gulamov

Russian Diplomats Report No Complaints From Imprisoned Turkmen Activist Saddam Gulamov

Child Online Safety

Uzbekistan Weighs Social Media Restrictions for Children Under 16

Uzbekistan is considering introducing legal restrictions on social media use by children under the age of 16, adding its name to a growing list of Central Asian countries debating how to protect minors in the digital age. According to Gazeta.uz, the proposal was announced by Minister of Preschool and School Education E’zozxon Karimova following an event at the ministry on June 26. Speaking to the publication, Karimova said discussions had already taken place with members of parliament and the Senate, and that a draft law could soon be prepared for public consultation. “We are currently thinking about this issue. We...

Anti-Corruption

Uzbekistan Creates Corruption Convicts Registry in Anti-Graft Overhaul

Uzbekistan has adopted sweeping amendments to its anti-corruption legislation, creating an electronic registry of people convicted of corruption offenses, expanding criminal liability, and imposing new restrictions on those found guilty. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the law on June 22 as part of the government’s broader campaign to strengthen accountability and reduce corruption across the public sector. Officials say the reforms are intended to reinforce what the law describes as an “intolerant attitude toward corruption” throughout society. One of the most significant changes is the creation of an electronic register of individuals convicted of corruption-related crimes. The Ministry of Internal Affairs...

Women's Rights

Dushanbe Opens Criminal Cases Over Underage Marriage in Tajikistan

The authorities in Tajikistan have reported several cases involving the marriage of underage girls, with criminal cases opened in Dushanbe since the beginning of the year over violations of the country’s legal marriage age. According to the Dushanbe branch of the Interior Ministry, law enforcement agencies have identified five cases this year in which parents arranged marriages for their underage daughters. Criminal investigations have been launched in all cases, and inquiries are ongoing. Officials reminded the public that under Article 13 of Tajikistan’s Family Code, the legal age for marriage is 18. The only exception is by court decision, which...

Amnesty

Tajikistan Amnesty to Free or Reduce Sentences for More Than 18,000

President Emomali Rahmon has signed an amnesty law covering 18,038 convicted people as Tajikistan prepares to mark 35 years of independence. The measure provides full release for 11,305 people and reduces the unserved terms of 6,733 others. The 11,305 figure includes prison and settlement-colony sentences, along with punishments that do not involve custody. Women and minors will receive wider relief. Of 507 women serving sentences, 248 will be released, and 259 will receive shorter terms. Of 134 minors, 99 will be freed, and 35 will have their sentences reduced. Rahmon submitted the bill to the lower house of parliament on...

Environment

Water Security

Kyrgyzstan’s Water Compensation Push Tests Central Asian Unity

Central Asia’s water diplomacy is entering a contentious phase. Kyrgyzstan, where much of the region’s runoff is formed, is reviving calls for economic compensation from downstream users. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have rejected the idea, saying current agreements do not provide for payments for transboundary river water. The dispute comes as the region tries to maintain annual water-allocation deals while adapting agriculture to worsening scarcity and climate pressure. Water has long tied together the region’s upstream and downstream states. The 2021 and 2022 clashes on the Kyrgyz-Tajik border showed how disputes over land, border infrastructure, roads, security posts, and water access...

Flood Risk

Tajikistan Warns of Mudslides as Central Asia Expands Flood Cooperation

Climate Change

Kyrgyzstan Mudflows Surge Past 2024 Total as Officials Warn of Climate Risks

Pest Control

Rats Reported at Turkmen Presidential Residence Near Ashgabat

Air Pollution

EBRD Backs $69 Million District Heating Upgrade in Bishkek to Tackle Air Pollution

Water Security

New Study Finds Sharp Decline in Amu Darya Flows

Central Asia’s water woes continue to grow worse. The water flow in the Amu Darya, one of Central Asia’s two great rivers, is slowly but significantly diminishing in Tajikistan, where the river originates. A recently released report shows the Amu Darya’s water flow in the middle and lower reaches in Tajikistan has fallen over the course of recent decades by 54-77%. And the report lays the blame firmly on human activity, not climate change. Up In the Mountains of Tajikistan The study published on ScienceDirect looked at data collected over 90 years and concludes that “streamflow decreased by 54–77% in...

Uranium

Kyrgyzstan Moves to Introduce Unified Monitoring System for Uranium Waste Sites

Kyrgyzstan is preparing to introduce a unified national system for radiological monitoring of former uranium production sites, tailings storage facilities, and other radioactive waste locations, shifting the focus from cleanup work to long-term oversight of Soviet-era uranium legacy sites. The draft resolution, published for public discussion by the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision, would establish a single framework for monitoring reclaimed uranium sites across the country. Under the proposed rules, state monitoring would cover protective engineering structures, surface and groundwater, soil, atmospheric air, and other environmental components surrounding radioactive sites. The ministry said the initiative was developed...

Flood Forecasting

U.S. Companies to Help Kazakhstan Improve Snow Monitoring and Flood Forecasting

United States-based aviation technology firms Dynamic Aviation and Airborne Snow Observatories Inc. will work with Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation to improve snow monitoring, spring runoff forecasts, and early flood warnings, as the country seeks to avoid a repeat of the devastating floods of 2024. The cooperation program was discussed last week during talks between Kazakhstan’s Deputy Water Resources Minister Aslan Abdraimov and representatives of the two American companies, according to the ministry. The project will use aerial monitoring technologies to collect data from river basins, prepare cartographic materials and analytical reports, and integrate that information into Kazakhstan’s...

Red Book

Kyrgyzstan Begins Updating Red Book as Scientists Survey Rare Species Nationwide

Kyrgyzstan has begun preparing its first comprehensive update of the national Red Book in nearly two decades. On June 3, 2026, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision and the National Academy of Sciences signed a cooperation agreement to collect updated data on rare and endangered species of flora and fauna. The project is scheduled to last two years and is estimated to cost about 21 million soms. What Has Been Decided Under the agreement, scientists from the National Academy of Sciences will carry out field and desk-based research across the country to obtain current, reliable information on...

New Study Finds Sharp Decline in Amu Darya Flows

Latest

Features

Features

Kazakh Coalitions, Kyrgyz Security Signals, and Uncovering Disinformation Networks in Central Asia

Latest

Sunkar Podcast

Kazakh Coalitions, Kyrgyz Security Signals, and Uncovering Disinformation Networks in Central Asia

Sunkar Podcast

Opinions

Opinions

Zamirbek Minbaev

Igor Klevtsov

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

Business & Economy

Business & Economy

Uzbekistan Expands President Tech Award to $5 Million, Launches $1 Million AI Startup Competition

Kazakhstan Expects to Double Renewable Energy Capacity by 2029

Kyrgyzstan to Build Railway Logistics Center with EBRD and EU Support

Turkmenistan Signs Regional Cooperation Treaty, Reaffirm $1 Billion Kazakh Trade Target

Kyrgyzstan Reports 34% Growth in Foreign Direct Investment in First Quarter of 2026

Local Politics

Local Politics

Tokayev Sets August 23 Election Date as Kazakhstan’s New Constitution Takes Effect

Kazakhstan’s Parliament Gives Way to New Kurultai Under Tokayev’s Constitutional Reset

Kurultai Election Campaign Takes Shape in Parliament’s Final Budget Debate

Power Outages in Turkmenistan Lead to Dismissals as Blackouts Continue

Tokayev Says Kazakhstan Offers Healthcare Benefits Unavailable in Some Western Countries

International Affairs

International Affairs

Twenty-Five Years Ago, Karimov and Powell Opened a Humanitarian Lifeline. Today, Global Support Wanes

Chinese Workers Return to Tajik Highway Under Guard After Afghan Border Attacks

New Kyrgyzstan Ship Registry Raises Oversight Questions

Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan Tighten Ties, Supporting Middle Corridor

The Fragile U.S.–Iran Truce: What Central Asia Stands to Gain and Lose

Life & Culture

Life & Culture

Kazakhstan’s Astana Ballet Stages a Dance of Gold and Steppe Wind

Kurchatov: Kazakhstan’s Atomic City Finds New Life After Nuclear Tests

Opinion: Scents of the Silk Road – Recreating the World of 1001 Nights

Uzbekistan’s Universities Climb Sustainability Rankings as Afghan Training Program Expands

From Bishkek to Yakutsk: What Unites Eurasia’s Emerging Cinema

Justice

Justice

Turkmenistan Fines Citizens Over Social Media Likes as Digital Controls Tighten