The Geopolitical Battle for Control Over Transportation Routes in Central Asia
Russia and Kazakhstan may be nominal allies, but their geoeconomic interests are not always aligned. As Astana seeks to develop the Middle Corridor – a transportation link connecting China and Europe through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, bypassing Russia – Moscow reportedly aims to build a trade and...
Turkmen Human Rights Activist Soltan Achilova Released After Forced Hospitalization
Renowned Turkmen journalist Soltan Achilova, along with her daughter and son-in-law, has been discharged from the infectious disease department of Choganly Hospital after six days of forced isolation. According to the Turkmenistan Chronicle portal, none of the three showed symptoms or signs of any infectious disease. Prior to their release,...
End of the Trolleybus: Bishkek Authorities Abandon Eco-Friendly Transport Option
Bishkek authorities are phasing out trolleybuses in favor of buses, sparking criticism from residents and environmental advocates. Activists allege that municipal workers are dismantling trolleybus infrastructure, prompting lawsuits and complaints to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which funded trolleybus purchases for the city. The Shift to Electric...
Turkmenistan Forcibly Hospitalizes Human Rights Activist to Prevent Her Traveling
Veteran journalist and human rights defender Soltan Achilova was forcibly hospitalized in Turkmenistan, an apparent attempt by authorities to prevent her from leaving the country for an international event in Geneva. The incident was highlighted in a recent article by Rachel Denber, Deputy Director of the Europe and Central Asia...
Kazakhstan and Taliban Afghanistan: An Overview of Relations
Diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Afghanistan began more than 30 years ago, on February 12, 1992. However, in April of that year, the republican regime in Kabul fell, and the country plunged into the abyss of civil war after becoming the Islamic State of Afghanistan. Such chaos had never been...
Who Will Build Kazakhstan’s Nuclear Power Plant?
There are three generally discussed possibilities for construction of Kazakhstan’s newly approved nuclear power plant (NPP). One is that Russia is sole contractor. Another is that China is sole contractor. Each of these choices has its own rationale yet also geo-economic and geopolitical drawbacks for Kazakhstan. Third, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart...
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan Stand Out at COP29
The 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29), held in Baku from November 11–22, 2024, has underscored the critical role of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in advancing Caspian Sea regional energy transitions. Both countries leveraged their positions along the Middle Corridor to present ambitious renewable and nuclear energy strategies. Azerbaijan:...
Kazakhstan on Alert as War in Ukraine Escalates
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has instructed his government to take urgent steps to safeguard key military and civilian facilities because of escalating hostilities in Ukraine, which has been fighting Russian forces since they launched a full-scale invasion in early 2022. Tokayev ordered the prime minister, the presidential chief of staff,...
Sunkar Podcast
Kazakhstan’s Return to Nuclear Power
