Fozil Mashrab
Fozil Mashrab is an independent analyst based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
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Articles by Fozil Mashrab
Uzbekistan Grapples With the Specter of Anti-Western Tropes in SCO
On July 28–29, Tashkent hosted the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers. This was the final rehearsal before the SCO summit scheduled to take place later this year
Uzbekistan Seeks to Enshrine Pragmatic Foreign Policy With Wider Constitutional Reforms
On 20 June, Uzbekistani President Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired a meeting dedicated to changes and amendments to the national constitution. After dwelling on the reforms related to strengthening the protection of
Russia Downplays Negative Economic Impact of Ukraine War for Its Central Asian Allies
Russia’s large-scale re-invasion of Ukraine, which prompted the West to adopt ever-tightening economic sanctions against the aggressor, is forcing Central Asian countries to grapple with the negative fallout spilling over
Kremlin Forces Change of Foreign Minister in Uzbekistan After ‘Ukraine Comments’
On April 27, Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev promoted Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov to the position of first deputy foreign minister and assigned him the responsibilities of the foreign minister
Crisis in Neighboring Kazakhstan Presents Uzbekistan With Challenges on Multiple Fronts
This month’s crisis in Kazakhstan, triggered by gas fuel price rises, came as a massive surprise for the Uzbekistani political elites. When the protests erupted in the neighboring country, almost
Economic Interests at Core of Uzbekistan’s Pragmatic Approach Toward Taliban
Since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in mid-August, it has struggled to win friends. Achieving international recognition and acceptance still remains an uphill challenge, subject to its ability and,
Is Uzbekistan on the Verge of Rejoining the CSTO?
On September 20, Tashkent hosted a conference on the topic “Russia and Uzbekistan facing the challenges of development and security at a new historical stage of interaction.” This gathering, jointly
Border Conflict Compels Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to Look for Foreign Weapons
Neighboring Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan came close to seeing the outbreak of renewed border clashes on June 4. This danger of fresh violence emerged little more than a month after the
Prospect of Cooperation With Russia on Nuclear Power Plant Clouds Uzbekistan’s More Immediate Energy Needs
During a recent (March 24) government meeting dedicated to upgrading Uzbekistan’s energy infrastructure, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced that, in 2021 alone, over $1.1 billion would be allocated to upgrading the
Year 2020 in Review: Uzbekistan Grapples With Pandemic, Disasters, Russian Pressure
The fourth year of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev rule proved his most difficult yet, not only because of the COVID-19 pandemic but also due to a series of natural and man-made
Shanghai Cooperation Organization Enters Period of Stagnation
In early September, Russia hosted the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) annual meetings of defense ministers (September 3–4), ministers of foreign affairs (September 9–10) and security council heads (September 15) (Sectsco.org,
China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Road-Rail Connection Launched Amid Violent Border Clashes
China and Uzbekistan have opened a new transport corridor between one other, which could eventually form a key link in a much shorter inter-continental route connecting China to the Middle
Kremlin Provides Financial Support to Stranded and Abandoned Central Asian Migrants
In response to mounting cases of COVID-19 in Russia, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree, on April 17, providing a financial reprieve for the majority of the seven million–eight million
Uzbekistan Hosts Second Central Asian Consultative Summit
The Second Central Asian Leaders’ Consultative Summit—involving the five Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan—was supposed to take place during the Navruz holiday (March), in the
Uzbekistan Prepares to Elect a New Parliament
On October 15, the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Uzbekistan formally permitted all five state-created and state-funded political parties to run in the upcoming general elections, scheduled for December 22
Uzbekistan Faces Mounting Economic Costs From Staying out of Russian-Led Eurasian Union
During his address to the 20th Plenary Session of Uzbekistan’s Senate, on June 21, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev expressed fears that the country’s manufacturers could face increasing difficulties accessing their traditional
‘Navruz Spirit’ Quietly Vanishes From Central Asian Leaders’ Agenda
The second Central Asian Leaders’ Consultative Working Meeting was supposed to take place this spring, in Tashkent. However, scheduling conflicts around the Navruz holiday (March 20, 2019) prevented the summit
Uzbekistan Steps up Railway Diplomacy
An official delegation from Uzbekistan, led by Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov, visited Pakistan on November 1–2. Kamilov and his retinue were received by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan and held
Uzbekistan and Russia Reach Agreement on Construction of New Nuclear Power Plant
A series of meetings since late December 2017 between officials from Uzbekistan and ROSATOM, the Russian state nuclear energy corporation, suggests that both sides have reached an agreement to build
Uzbek Government Eases Restrictions on Muslims
This year, Uzbekistan is organizing its first ever nation-wide al-Quran reciters competition (Muslim.uz, December 22, 2017). Perhaps this kind of competition would be a run-of-the-mill event in any other Muslim
Russia Tacitly Entices Uzbekistan With Benefits of EEU, CSTO Membership
Since President Shavkat Mirziyaev’s state visit to Moscow in April 2017, bilateral relations between his country of Uzbekistan and Russia have been steadily expanding. And the frequency of subsequent bilateral
Uzbekistan Alters Its Vision for Afghanistan
After the change of leadership in Uzbekistan, it has been widely acknowledged that the country’s new president, Shavkat Mirziyaev, is pursuing a more proactive and constructive regional diplomacy in Central
New Uzbek President Courts Moscow During State Visit
Uzbekistan’s new head of state, President Shavkat Mirziyaev made his first official visit to Moscow, on April 4–5. Though the visit was in fact the Uzbekistani leader’s third foreign trip
Uzbekistan Accords Turkmenistan Status of Closest Neighbor and Partner
Three months since his election last December, Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyaev made his first official trip abroad, visiting neighboring Turkmenistan on March 6–7. The visit put an end to rampant
Uzbekistan Turns to Russia in Search of Modern Weapons
On January 13, 2017, the newly elected president of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyaev, attended a ceremony commemorating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the independent Uzbekistani army (January 14, 1992).
Uzbekistan and Russia Agree to Reset Bilateral Ties
Uzbekistan’s President Islam Karimov visited Moscow for talks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on April 25–26, 2016. The visit was widely hailed as the opening of a new chapter
Kyrgyzstan Targets Wrong Enemy in Its Latest Border Crisis With Uzbekistan
The Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) convened an extraordinary session, on March 22, at its headquarters in Moscow, at the request of the Kyrgyz Republic’s government. Its members—Armenia, Belarus,
Eurasian Union’s Expansion Falters Amid Russia’s Economic Woes
In a recent interview with the media, Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Pankratov, whose portfolio includes overseeing the country’s membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), reported that the Kyrgyz
Iran’s Overtures to Tajik Opposition Expose Deep-Seated Grievances
In December 2015, Iran invited Tajikistan’s opposition leader, Muhiddin Kabiri, to attend a conference on Islam. The invitation extended to Kabiri, who is accused of allegedly masterminding an unsuccessful armed
Central Asian Countries React to Latest US Overtures in Security Sphere
In early November 2015, US Secretary of State John Kerry toured all five former Soviet republics in Central Asia. It was the first such visit by a top United States
Bishkek Puts Brakes on China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan Railway
As negotiations drag on between Beijing and Bishkek over the technical and financial aspects of constructing the Kyrgyzstani part of the planned China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway, Uzbekistan, with Chinese monetary and technical