
Latest Articles about Central Asia

Uzbekistan Balances Nuclear Energy Cooperation with Russia and PRC
Executive Summary: Uzbekistan is pursuing nuclear power cooperation with both Russia and the People’s Republic of China (PRC), aiming to become a nuclear energy hub in Central Asia. Tashkent is hedging against risks in working with Moscow due to Russia’s weakened economic position amid international... MORE

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan Expand Foreign Partnerships
Executive Summary: Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan used the UN General Assembly to secure major agreements with U.S. companies and U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, highlighting their efforts to attract investment and strengthen international partnerships, particularly in connectivity and energy. Uzbekistan announced over $100 billion in potential... MORE

Kazakhstan Prioritizes Development of Technological Innovation
Executive Summary: Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in his annual address to the nation on September 8, announced sweeping reforms, including digitalization and the creation of a Ministry of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to modernize governance and boost efficiency. The new “Digital Qazaqstan” strategy aims to unify... MORE

Middle Corridor Expands with PRC’s Growing Role and TRIPP Agreement
Executive Summary: China Railway Container Transport Corp. Ltd, on August 7, joined the Middle Corridor Multimodal Ltd, a joint railway venture between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Georgia, to facilitate the development of the Middle Corridor. Progress on the Zangezur Corridor, rebranded as Trump Route for International... MORE

Daughter of Uzbekistan’s President Aims for Regime Stability, not Succession
Executive Summary: Saida Mirziyoyeva, daughter of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, was appointed head of Uzbekistan’s Presidential Administration in June, a move likely used to stabilize and guide the country’s political landscape after the previous head of the administration stirred discontent. Mirziyoyeva avoids divisive issues and... MORE

Strategic Snapshot: Caspian Littoral States Conduct Multi-Vector Diplomacy, Trade, and Defense
The Caspian Sea, once considered a “Russian lake,” is becoming a more multipolar space. Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan have expanded their navies, built new security accords with each other, and increased cooperation with Türkiye. Russia has responded with naval cooperation with Iran, but this alliance... MORE

Call Center Scams Spread Across Eurasia
Executive Summary: A series of investigations and arrests across Eurasia has revealed a rise in international call center fraud operations, underscoring the increasingly transnational nature of cybercrime in the region. Russian-language cybercrime has historically avoided targeting Russia or members of the Commonwealth of Independent States,... MORE

Turkmenistan Escalates Crackdown on Citizens Looking to Emigrate Abroad
Executive Summary: Turkmen migrants are facing increased restrictions on their freedom of movement, with countries such as Türkiye and Russia assisting the Turkmen government in cracking down on Turkmen citizens outside the country. Ashgabat has made moving abroad increasingly difficult for its citizens by arbitrarily... MORE

Putin’s War Against Ukraine Diminishing Moscow’s Dominance of Former Soviet Space
Executive Summary: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine aimed to reassert dominance over the former Soviet space, but Ukraine’s resistance and sustained Western support have instead weakened Moscow’s influence in the region. Moscow’s war against Ukraine has led the former Soviet republics to pursue... MORE

Rosatom to Build Kazakhstan’s First Nuclear Power Plant (Part Two)
(Part One) Executive Summary: Kazakhstan has awarded leadership of an international consortium to construct the country’s first nuclear power plant to Russian state-owned nuclear corporation Rosatom. At the same time, Astana is courting Chinese nuclear, uranium, and water infrastructure companies to counterbalance Russia’s role. Kazakhstan’s... MORE