The Times Of Central Asia | Eurasian Publication & News Online

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has sent messages of support to the leaders of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait, reaffirming Kazakhstan’s solidarity with their peoples during what he described as a “difficult period of profound challenges.” According to Qazinform, citing presidential adviser and press secretary Aibek Smadyarov,...

Oil and Gas

Kashagan and Karachaganak: Will Kazakhstan’s Claims Lead to Changes in the Shareholder Structure?

Anar Burasheva

From Africa to Antarctica: How Kazakh Mountaineer Anar Burasheva Conquered Seven Continents

Extradition

Kazakhstan Suspends Extradition of Navalny Associate as Courts Weigh Asylum Claim

TCA Interviews

Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Kazakhstan on Regional Integration and a Shifting Global Order

Podcast

Pannier and Hillard’s Spotlight on Central Asia: New Episode 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...

Serbia

Vučić in Astana: Trade, Defense, and Technology Drive Kazakhstan–Serbia Talks

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić arrived in Astana on February 26 for a two-day official visit. Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and Astana Mayor Jenis Qasymbek received him at the airport. Vučić is scheduled to hold talks with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on February 26–27. The agenda includes political dialogue, trade, digital transformation,...

Sports

Uzbekistan Continues Busy Sporting Year with Tashkent Judo Grand Slam

The 12,500-capacity Humo Arena in central Tashkent is preparing to host the OTP Group Tashkent Grand Slam 2026 this week. The three-day elite competition starts on 27 February. The event is the second stop on the 2026 World Judo Tour, following the Paris Grand Slam, and will feature 400 world-class...

Sunkar Podcast

Central Asia and the Troubled Southern Route

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Opinions

Opinion: Mirziyoyev in Washington – New Deals Expected Amidst Peace Diplomacy

Javier M. Piedra

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

Business & Economy

Migration Policy

Kazakhstan to Focus on Skilled Migrants in New Migration Policy

Kazakhstan is shifting toward a more pragmatic migration policy aligned with the needs of the national economy. The government’s newly approved Migration Policy Concept through 2030 prioritizes attracting in-demand highly skilled professionals and encouraging internal migration to regions experiencing labor shortages. According to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, the number of foreign labor migrants in Kazakhstan reached 16,100 in 2025. Minister of Labor Askarbek Yertayev said that greater emphasis will be placed on assessing the professional qualifications of foreign workers. Priority will be given to specialists with relevant education, work experience, and competencies sought in the domestic labor market....

Demographics

Central Asia’s Population Could Reach 96 Million by 2040, Raising Infrastructure Pressures

Middle Corridor

The World Bank Backs Kazakhstan’s Rail Shortcut

e-Commerce

Kyrgyz Citizens to Be Allowed to Pass On E-Wallet Funds to Heirs

Middle Corridor

Kazakhstan to Enhance Middle Corridor Rail Connectivity with World Bank Support

Oil and Gas

Kashagan and Karachaganak: Will Kazakhstan’s Claims Lead to Changes in the Shareholder Structure?

The beginning of 2026 has been marked by a new round of confrontation between Kazakhstan and the international consortia developing the country’s largest oil and gas fields, North Caspian Operating Company N.V. (Kashagan) and Karachaganak Petroleum Operating B.V. (Karachaganak). Below is an overview of the current situation and the possible scenarios. Arbitration proceedings initiated in early 2023 have expanded from $16.5 billion to more than $170 billion. Over three years, Kazakhstan has secured preliminary victories on several claims, enough, in my view, to suggest that the era of foreign oil consortia dominating Kazakhstan’s strategic projects may be coming to an...

Public-Private Partnerships

PPP Development in Kyrgyzstan Gains Strong Momentum

A new FII Institute’s Public-Private Partnerships: Financing The Future Impact Report 2026 reveals that emerging markets are driving the next wave of PPP growth. PPP spending across low-and middle-income countries reached $100.7 billion in 2024, up 16% on-year, with emerging markets now representing around 61% of global PPP activity by GDP share. A key finding is that Kyrgyzstan ranks third in the report’s emerging-market PPP project pipeline, with 80 published or announced projects, behind only the Philippines (230 projects) and Saudi Arabia (98), and ahead of Bangladesh (71) and Peru (54). For Kyrgyzstan, being ranked among the top PPP pipelines...

Gold Mining

Gold Mining in Afghanistan Raises Security Concerns for Central Asia

Large-scale gold mining in northern Afghanistan is increasingly raising tensions and potential security risks for Central Asia, particularly along the Afghan-Tajik border, according to a report by ExpressAsia. The outlet reports that intensive extraction activities are continuing in border areas adjacent to Tajikistan, where clashes and exchanges of fire have periodically occurred between Tajik border guards and individuals described as illegal miners or smugglers attempting to cross the frontier. Over the past two years, mining operations have expanded significantly, with thousands of units of heavy equipment, including excavators and trucks, reportedly transported to Afghanistan’s Takhar and Badakhshan provinces. Local residents...

Finance

Digital Inequality in Central Asia: Who Is Winning the AI Race in Finance?

AI in Central Asia’s financial sector is no longer a fashionable add-on. It has become a dividing line between leaders and laggards. A comprehensive report by the National Bank of Kazakhstan and the Fintech AI Center highlights a stark reality: while some institutions are building sovereign data centers, others are still attempting to automate basic document management processes. Kazakhstan is setting the pace. In his introduction to the report, Timur Suleimenov, Governor of the National Bank of Kazakhstan, echoes President Tokayev’s digital modernization agenda, writing: “Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming a new paradigm for the development of the national economy…...

Local Politics

Pink Tax

Gender Pricing and Tax Policy in Kazakhstan: Does a “Pink Tax” Exist?

Women often pay more for everyday goods, from hygiene products to personal care services. In public discourse in Kazakhstan, this phenomenon is often referred to as the “pink tax.” But does such a tax exist, or are these differences the result of market pricing strategies? Is a “Pink Tax” Recognized Under Kazakhstan’s Tax Code? If understood literally as a separate levy established in the Tax Code, the so-called “pink tax” does not exist in Kazakhstan. The country’s tax system includes corporate and individual income taxes, value-added tax (VAT), excise duties, social tax, property taxes, and other mandatory payments. There is...

Water Management

Kazakhstan’s Reservoirs Prepared for Spring Flooding

TCA Interviews

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

Education

Kazakhstan Moves to Require Content Creators and Online Course Authors to Confirm Qualifications

Kamchybek Tashiyev

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

Agriculture

Farmers, Courts, and Investors: Examining Recent Land Disputes in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan’s agricultural sector is once again in the spotlight following a recent report by Human Rights Watch and the Uzbek Forum for Human Rights, which raised concerns about the treatment of cotton and wheat farmers under what it describes as a coercive state production system. At the same time, local agricultural representatives argue that the situation is more complex and that recent legal and institutional changes have improved farmers’ ability to defend their rights. The debate intensified earlier this year after complaints from farmers in parts of the Syrdarya region, particularly in the Xovos district, regarding land seizures linked to...

War in Ukraine

Why Tajikistan Does Not Prosecute Individuals for Participation in the War in Ukraine

Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine has been ongoing for nearly four years, and media outlets have repeatedly reported that citizens of Tajikistan are participating in the fighting. However, Tajikistan’s authorities state that no criminal cases have been initiated against citizens on these grounds. The country’s top law enforcement officials have explained their position. At a press conference, Khabibullo Vokhidzoda said that over the past year no citizen of Tajikistan had been prosecuted for participation in Russia’s war in Ukraine. He noted that many of those involved hold Russian citizenship. According to Vokhidzoda, such individuals are legally obligated to fulfill the...

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...

Arkadag

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

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 city. Inspectors are said to be focusing on three main criteria: possession of a local residence permit, confirmed employment in Arkadag, and the degree of kinship with the property owner. The legal basis for these inspections remains unclear, but reports indicate that authorities are taking a strict approach, requiring individuals...

International Affairs

Taliban

Pakistan Declares “Open War” with Afghanistan’s Taliban as Cross-Border Attacks Escalate

Pakistan launched airstrikes inside Afghanistan on Friday following a Taliban-announced offensive against Pakistani military posts along the shared border, marking a sharp escalation in tensions between the two long-hostile neighbors. The Taliban has said it is open to talks. Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said on social media that “our patience has now run out. Now it is open war between us,” framing Islamabad’s actions as a response to cross-border attacks. According to Reuters, the Afghan authorities said operations began across several eastern provinces bordering Pakistan, while Islamabad confirmed retaliatory strikes targeting what it described as militant positions. Both...

Migration

The Number of Migrants from Tajikistan to Russia Has Decreased Significantly

Serbia

Vučić in Astana: Trade, Defense, and Technology Drive Kazakhstan–Serbia Talks

C5-UK

Uzbekistan Eyes UKEF Backing and Market Access at C5–UK Talks

Uzbek Diaspora

Uzbek Janitor Who Saved Child in St. Petersburg Receives Awards and Ticket Home

EU Sanctions

EU Targets Kyrgyz Financial Sector Over Russia Sanctions Evasion

At the beginning of the year, the news agenda surrounding Kyrgyzstan shifted dramatically. Several media outlets reported that the European Union is considering restrictive measures affecting Kyrgyzstan as part of its 20th sanctions package against Russia. This does not imply direct sanctions against the state itself, but rather potential measures targeting banks, oil companies, and cryptocurrency services that, according to Brussels, may facilitate circumvention of the sanctions regime. For Kyrgyzstan’s economy, which is highly sensitive to cross-border capital flows, this represents a serious warning signal. EU Special Envoy for Sanctions David O’Sullivan, who visited Bishkek, outlined Brussels’ principal concern: a...

TCA Interviews

Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Kazakhstan on Regional Integration and a Shifting Global Order

Amid shifting regional dynamics and an evolving global order, Uzbekistan has emerged as one of Central Asia’s most proactive diplomatic and economic actors. Since 2016, Tashkent has pursued an ambitious reform agenda at home while expanding cooperation with its neighbors and major global powers. In a wide-ranging interview with TCA, His Excellency Bakhtiyor Ibragimov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Kazakhstan, discusses regional integration, strategic partnerships, Afghanistan, China, and the future of economic diplomacy in Central Asia. TCA: Mr. Ambassador, Uzbekistan has demonstrated significant economic progress in recent years. What do you see as the key...

Bilateral Trade

Belarus Aims to Increase Trade with Uzbekistan to $2 Billion by 2030

Belarus plans to increase its trade turnover with Uzbekistan to $2 billion by 2030, according to a statement issued by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus following high-level talks between the two countries’ prime ministers. Belarusian Prime Minister Aleksandr Turchin announced the target during a meeting with Uzbekistan’s Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov on February 24, underscoring the growing importance of bilateral cooperation. “Undoubtedly, Uzbekistan is one of our key partners in Central Asia and beyond,” Turchin said, adding that relations are supported by what he described as a trusting dialogue between the two presidents. He noted that...

Bilateral Trade

Uzbekistan and Afghanistan Aim to Boost Trade to $5 Billion

Uzbekistan and Afghanistan plan to accelerate the introduction of a preferential trade regime and significantly expand bilateral trade, Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev said. In a post on his LinkedIn page, Khodjaev wrote that on February 24 he held a video conference with Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Trade, Nuriddin Azizi. “We discussed practical steps to expand trade and economic cooperation and preparations for an upcoming visit of the Afghan delegation to Uzbekistan,” he said. Khodjaev noted that Uzbekistan values its “friendly and constructive relations” with Afghanistan. According to him, over the past five years bilateral trade has grown 2.5...

Life & Culture

Anar Burasheva

From Africa to Antarctica: How Kazakh Mountaineer Anar Burasheva Conquered Seven Continents

Mountaineer Anar Burasheva is the first Kazakh woman to climb the highest peaks on all seven continents and has already summited three of the world’s fourteen eight-thousanders. Her path is demanding and dangerous, yet, as she notes, it is achievable with discipline and preparation. On some summits, she can remain only for a few seconds, as lingering would be unsafe; on others, she is able to pause briefly, take in the view, and absorb the scale of the landscape. Above 8,000 meters, however, one rule always applies: descend on time. In an interview with The Times of Central Asia, Burasheva...

Society

Weaponizing the Past: Russian Commentators Invoke Famine in Attacks on Kazakhstan

Podcast

Pannier and Hillard’s Spotlight on Central Asia: New Episode Out Now

Sports

Uzbekistan Continues Busy Sporting Year with Tashkent Judo Grand Slam

Weather

Storms and Abnormal Heat: Turkmenistan Experiences Severe Weather

Entrepreneurship

Founder of inDrive Sees Kindred Spirit in Olympic Champion’s Father

Years ago, Stanislav Shaidorov, a former figure skating champion of Kazakhstan, sold his car to help pay for his son Mikhail’s training on the ice. After Mikhail won Olympic gold this month, the older Shaidorov was presented with an Audi Q8 by a businessman who had done the same thing for a different cause. “This story is personal for me,” said Arsen Tomsky, founder and CEO of the ride-hailing app inDrive, which operates in dozens of countries. “I did the same twice in my life — once to pay salaries when my first company had no money, and once to...

International Women's Day

How Much is Berdymuhamedov’s 8 March “Gift” to Turkmen Women Actually Worth?

Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymuhamedov has ordered that female residents of the country receive 60 manats each in honor of March 8, International Women’s Day. At the current market exchange rate of 19.5 manats to the U.S. dollar, this amounts to approximately $3. Officially, the decision is described as recognition of “the great contribution of women in bringing about changes for the prosperity of the country, in raising a healthy and enthusiastic generation devoted to the Motherland, in order to continue the noble traditions of our ancestors in honoring our beloved mothers and dear sisters in the era of the rebirth...

Tourism

Kyrgyzstan Advances Construction of Ala-Too All-Season Ski Cluster

On February 25, Kyrgyzstan’s Ala-Too Resort OJSC and the Austrian company Doppelmayr, a global leader in cable car construction, signed a contract for the installation of four additional cable-car lines at the Jyrgalan resort. The site represents the first phase of the Ala-Too Resort project, a flagship state investment initiative to develop an all-season mountain ski cluster in the Issyk-Kul region, east of Lake Issyk-Kul. Construction of the Ala-Too Resort cluster, which will combine three resorts, Jyrgalan, Ak-Bulak, and Boz-Uchuk, began in August 2025. The new agreement follows a contract signed last year under which Doppelmayr is currently building two...

History

An Early European View of Nomadic Central Asia

During a period when Central Asia remained largely unknown to European audiences, Among Kirghiz and Turkimans offered Western readers a rare first-hand account of the vast steppe and desert regions. The book was written in the late nineteenth century by Richard Karutz, a German traveler whose work belongs to the broader tradition of European exploratory travel literature. I first encountered this book while studying in the United States and later incorporated it into my research. A copy preserved in the library of the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., was published in Leipzig in 1911. Since then, it has...

Justice

Extradition

Kazakhstan Suspends Extradition of Navalny Associate as Courts Weigh Asylum Claim

Kazakhstan has suspended the extradition of Yulia Yemelyanova, a former staff member of Alexei Navalny’s St. Petersburg office, to Russia. Yemelyanova was detained in Almaty in August 2025 after the Russian authorities requested her transfer. The Prosecutor General’s Office halted the extradition after her lawyers filed appeals linked to her asylum claim. Earlier this month, authorities approved Russia’s request despite her pending asylum application. Her lawyer subsequently stated that he would challenge that approval before the Supreme Court. Russian investigators have accused Yemelyanova of theft linked to a 2021 case. Her defense rejects the charge and argues that the prosecution...

U.S. Sanctions

U.S. Sanctions Uzbek Citizen Over Alleged Cybercrime Links

Social Media

Opinion: Tajikistan Narrows Online Extremism Liability — Debate Intensifies in Uzbekistan

Crocus City Hall Terrorist Attack

Prosecutor Seeks Life Sentences for Crocus City Hall Attack Defendants

Prison System

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

India

Delhi Police Arrest Man After Large Theft Targeting Uzbek Visitor

Police in New Delhi have arrested a man accused of using his two minor children to carry out thefts near the busy Jama Masjid market, following an investigation into the theft of over $6,500 from a citizen of Uzbekistan visiting India for his daughter’s medical treatment, The Times of India reported. According to police, the case began after the Uzbek national filed a complaint at the Jama Masjid police station on January 15. The victim told authorities he had traveled to India for his youngest daughter’s cancer surgery in Gurgaon and was carrying foreign currency in a sling bag while...

Legal System

Why Tajikistan’s Courts Rarely Hand Down Acquittals

The issue of extremely rare acquittals in Tajikistan has once again become the focus of public debate following a statement by the chairman of the Supreme Court. The authorities explain these statistics by pointing to the high quality of investigative and judicial work, while lawyers cite systemic problems related to objectivity and respect for human rights. Supreme Court Chairman Rustam Mirzozoda said at a press conference that the absence of acquittals reflects compliance with the law and the professional performance of law enforcement agencies. According to him, each criminal case is examined in strict accordance with the requirements of the...

Crime

Uzbekistan’s 2026 Reform Program Introduces Life Imprisonment for Pedophilia

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has approved draft reform programs setting out priority measures for 2026, along with the State Program for implementing the “Uzbekistan-2030” Strategy during what has been declared the “Year of Community and Social Prosperity,” according to the presidential press service. The documents were presented to the president at a briefing that highlighted a new methodology drawing on advanced international experience. Officials stated that the drafts define the main policy directions and target indicators for the coming year, in line with the President’s Address to the public and the Parliament, the Oliy Majlis, and outline specific implementation mechanisms. A...

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...

Environment

Nature Reserve

What Is Happening to Tajikistan’s Main Nature Reserve?

International experts have warned of a potential water crisis in the Tigrovaya Balka nature reserve, while Tajik authorities maintain that the situation remains stable and that systematic measures are underway to preserve the ecosystem. At the center of the debate are the water regime of the Vakhsh River, the condition of the tugai forests, and growing anthropogenic pressure. In November 2025, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) published an assessment describing the state of the reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as “alarming.” Experts link the primary risks to changes in the river’s hydrological regime. Regulation of the...

Water Scarcity

Central Asia and the Global Water Crisis: A Test of Governance and Cooperation

Earthquakes

New Earthquake Jolts Almaty, Highlighting Central Asia’s Seismic Threat

Air Pollution

Choking on Smog: Air Crisis in Öskemen Deepens

Wildlife Conservation

Up to Eighty Persian Leopards Now Roam Turkmenistan

Environment

Environmental Damage Assessed at Ritz-Carlton Tashkent Construction Site

More than a dozen valuable trees have been cut down at the construction site of the Ritz-Carlton Tashkent in central Tashkent, according to Rasul Kusherbayev, adviser to the chairman of Uzbekistan’s Ecology and Climate Change Committee. Kusherbayev stated that the trees were removed from an area adjacent to the National Park in Tashkent. According to preliminary information, the felling was carried out in violation of the existing moratorium on cutting valuable tree species. He added that authorities are still determining whether additional trees were cut at the site. The land plot was reportedly allocated to Azerbaijani investors for the project....

Wildlife Conservation

Uzbekistan Strengthens Protection of Argali Sheep and Other Rare Species

Uzbekistan is intensifying conservation efforts in its protected areas, with new data indicating a stable population of its endangered wild sheep, the Kyzylkum argali, in the Nurata State Nature Reserve. According to the National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change, the reserve is currently home to approximately 1,700-1,800 argali, also known as Severtsov’s wild sheep. Monitoring data collected in recent years show that the population has remained stable, highlighting the effectiveness of ongoing conservation and protection measures. The Kyzylkum argali is classified as an endangered species. It is listed in the national Red Book, included in the International Union for...

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

Kyrgyzstan’s government is preparing to fully transition the Issyk-Kul region to water-saving irrigation technologies, offering farmers preferential financing amid growing concerns over falling water levels in the country’s largest lake and key tourist destination. Speaking in parliament on February 11, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry Bakyt Torobaev announced that farmers adopting drip or sprinkler irrigation systems will be eligible for low-interest loans at a preferential 2% rate. Lending is expected to begin next month. Torobaev emphasized the urgency of reducing agricultural water consumption to stabilize inflows into Lake Issyk-Kul....

The World Bank Backs Kazakhstan’s Rail Shortcut

Latest

Features

Features

Latest

Sunkar Podcast

Sunkar Podcast

Opinions

Opinions

Javier M. Piedra

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

Business & Economy

Business & Economy

Kazakhstan to Focus on Skilled Migrants in New Migration Policy

Kashagan and Karachaganak: Will Kazakhstan’s Claims Lead to Changes in the Shareholder Structure?

PPP Development in Kyrgyzstan Gains Strong Momentum

Gold Mining in Afghanistan Raises Security Concerns for Central Asia

Digital Inequality in Central Asia: Who Is Winning the AI Race in Finance?

Local Politics

Local Politics

Gender Pricing and Tax Policy in Kazakhstan: Does a “Pink Tax” Exist?

Farmers, Courts, and Investors: Examining Recent Land Disputes in Uzbekistan

Why Tajikistan Does Not Prosecute Individuals for Participation in the War in Ukraine

Japarov Breaks the Kyrgyz Tandem

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

International Affairs

International Affairs

Pakistan Declares “Open War” with Afghanistan’s Taliban as Cross-Border Attacks Escalate

EU Targets Kyrgyz Financial Sector Over Russia Sanctions Evasion

Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Kazakhstan on Regional Integration and a Shifting Global Order

Belarus Aims to Increase Trade with Uzbekistan to $2 Billion by 2030

Uzbekistan and Afghanistan Aim to Boost Trade to $5 Billion

Life & Culture

Life & Culture

From Africa to Antarctica: How Kazakh Mountaineer Anar Burasheva Conquered Seven Continents

Founder of inDrive Sees Kindred Spirit in Olympic Champion’s Father

How Much is Berdymuhamedov’s 8 March “Gift” to Turkmen Women Actually Worth?

Kyrgyzstan Advances Construction of Ala-Too All-Season Ski Cluster

An Early European View of Nomadic Central Asia

Justice

Justice

Kazakhstan Suspends Extradition of Navalny Associate as Courts Weigh Asylum Claim