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Kyrgyz-Tajik Border

Japarov Credits Mirziyoyev’s in Resolving Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan Border Dispute

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has detailed how the long-standing border conflict with Tajikistan was resolved, citing direct diplomacy, enhanced military capabilities, and crucial regional mediation. His remarks came during the second part of the documentary President, aired on Kyrgyzstan’s Region TV. Japarov recounted that after the deadly clashes along the Kyrgyz, Tajik border in April 2021, he opted to visit Dushanbe for direct talks with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, despite opposition from some members of his inner circle, including State Committee for National Security Chairman Kamchybek Tashiyev. The negotiations, which lasted ten hours, ended without immediate results. “We talked for many hours, but at that time we could not reach an agreement,” Japarov recalled in the film. The 2021 conflict, triggered by disputes over infrastructure near the Kyrgyz village of Kok-Tash, exposed significant weaknesses in Kyrgyzstan’s defense capacity. The two-day confrontation involved heavy weaponry, including mortars, armored vehicles, and helicopter gunships. Official figures reported 54 fatalities, hundreds of injuries, and mass civilian displacement. Japarov said the violence spurred a modernization of the Kyrgyz military. The country began acquiring advanced equipment, including Turkish-made Bayraktar Akıncı and Aksungur drones. By the time renewed clashes broke out in September 2022, the president claimed that the balance of power had shifted. “By then, the forces were already equal, and we had begun to gain air superiority,” he said. Despite these developments, Japarov stressed that diplomacy ultimately brought resolution, and credited Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev with playing a pivotal role. “At summits, I told Rahmon, ‘Let’s sit down and talk.’ At first he refused. The second time, he agreed,” Japarov stated. “I must say that the role of Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was very significant. He persuaded us not to miss the moment and to reach an agreement. That’s how we sat down and resolved the border issue.” Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev supported this view, describing Mirziyoyev as a regional leader who consistently urged neighbors to resolve disputes peacefully. He noted that Mirziyoyev had warned unresolved conflicts risk deterring both investors and tourists, who often see Central Asia as a single, interconnected region. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan officially signed a border delimitation agreement on March 13 of last year, following a preliminary signing on March 31 in Khujand during a trilateral meeting involving the leaders of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

Kazakh Government Rules Out AI Deputy Ministers

AI will not be occupying senior government posts in Kazakhstan anytime soon. While AI-based tools may serve as advisors and consultants to top officials, there are currently no plans to appoint virtual or digital deputy ministers. This was confirmed by Rostislav Konyashkin, First Deputy Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development. The question arose during a press conference following a cabinet meeting, when journalists referenced Albania’s 2025 decision to appoint a virtual minister for public procurement, the first of its kind globally. They asked whether Kazakhstan was considering a similar initiative. According to Konyashkin, AI systems have not yet reached the level of reliability required for managing official functions. “As political officials, we are responsible for the decisions we make, so the emergence of digital deputy ministers is not expected at this time. When AI provides correct answers in 95-97% of cases, then perhaps we can begin discussing the transfer of some powers to algorithms. For now, we are only talking about AI assisting in analysis and decision-making,” he stated. Konyashkin expressed hope that in the future, personal AI assistants could be developed to the level of full-fledged consultants and advisors, significantly easing the workload of civil servants. Only after practical trials of such systems, he noted, could discussions about formal AI appointments begin. He also pointed to an existing example: the SKAI (Samruk-Kazyna Artificial Intelligence) neural network, which was added to the board of directors at the state holding company Samruk-Kazyna. However, its role remains consultative and does not involve decision-making authority. Konyashkin additionally outlined plans to establish a secure digital environment enabling Kazakh civil servants to work remotely. This includes secure access to work systems via tablets and trusted laptops, particularly during field operations conducted by ministries and akimats. To support this, a unified authorization system is in development, with optional biometric identification for accessing sensitive personal data. There are also plans to integrate various digital tools, video conferencing, messaging platforms, and email, into a single work interface. According to Konyashkin, this will streamline administrative processes and enhance the efficiency of Kazakhstan’s digital infrastructure.

Reforms

Uzbekistan Has “Only Just Begun” Reforms, Says Saida Mirziyoyeva

Saida Mirziyoyeva has said that the country’s reform agenda remains at an early stage, arguing that the scale of change should be measured in years rather than months. In her first major interview since becoming Head of the Presidential Administration, Mirziyoyeva said Uzbekistan had “only just begun” large-scale reforms. Expectations of rapid results, she warned, often overlook structural limits, including weak infrastructure, uneven regional development, and tight public finances. Mirziyoyeva spoke about decision-making inside the presidential system and outlined what she described as the administration’s main policy priorities, including water management, education, healthcare, the business climate, and reform of the judicial and legal system. “Our goal is to improve people’s lives,” she stated, emphasizing that improvements in courts and law enforcement were essential for other reforms to succeed. Without legal guarantees, she argued, investment and social policy changes would fail to deliver lasting results. She said the reforms now underway are intended to address long-standing systemic problems rather than produce quick political gains, and rejected the idea that reform momentum has slowed, arguing that many of the most complex changes require time and careful implementation to succeed. Water management featured prominently in her remarks. Mirziyoyeva described it as one of Uzbekistan’s most urgent challenges, pointing to climate pressures, ageing infrastructure, and rising demand. Education and healthcare were also presented as priorities, with reforms focused on improving quality and access rather than simply expanding state programs. The judicial system, however, emerged as the central theme. Mirziyoyeva said that without independent and predictable courts, reforms in other areas would not deliver lasting results. Legal uncertainty, she said, discourages investment and undermines public trust, making the rule of law essential for both economic reform and the protection of citizens’ rights. Mirziyoyeva also addressed the business environment, arguing that excessive regulation and administrative pressure continue to constrain private enterprise. The state, she said, should act as a partner to entrepreneurs rather than an obstacle, and reforms should create conditions in which businesses can operate transparently and competitively. Mirziyoyeva described her role as focused on coordination and execution rather than public visibility. The task of the Presidential Administration, she said, is to ensure that decisions taken at the top translate into practical change on the ground. Public service, she added, should be judged by outcomes, not rhetoric. The interview comes more than nine years after President Shavkat Mirziyoyev took office in December 2016 and launched a reform agenda that marked a break with the isolationist policies of his predecessor. Early measures included the liberalisation of the foreign exchange market in September 2017, easing trade restrictions, and reducing state control over prices. International financial institutions have described Uzbekistan’s economic transition as ambitious, while noting that progress has been uneven. Political reform has proceeded more cautiously. In its 2024 Nations in Transit assessment, Freedom House classified Uzbekistan as a consolidated authoritarian system, citing restrictions on opposition activity and independent media. Against that backdrop, Mirziyoyeva said reforms should be judged by tangible outcomes rather than timelines. Reliable access...

January 2022

From Rupture to Resilience: Kazakhstan’s Political Recalibration After January 2022

The upcoming anniversary of the events that started on 2 January 2022 in Kazakhstan invites a measured reflection rather than simple retrospection. The protests and subsequent violence marked a decisive turning point in the country’s recent history, exposing deep structural challenges and forcing a reassessment of the relationship between state and society. More than merely presenting an occasion to recall a time of crisis, this anniversary should also serve as an opportunity to assess how Kazakhstan has since evolved — specifically, whether the lessons of that rupture have been translated into durable political reforms and have created a more resilient path forward. Remembering the onset and evolution of the events The January 2022 protests were triggered by a sudden surge in liquefied petroleum gas prices, a critical cost for many households, particularly in western regions of Kazakhstan. The immediate economic shock quickly gave rise to broader demands rooted in long-standing grievances over rising living costs, inequality, corruption, and the concentration of political power. The violent escalation also unfolded against resistance from some political elites to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s emerging reform agenda. As Svante E. Cornell of the Washington D.C.-based Central Asia Caucasus Institute notes, efforts to curb entrenched patronage networks and rebalance authority had already generated opposition within the ruling elite, and the January crisis exposed these internal fractures. This context helps explain why the unrest moved beyond socioeconomic protests to a direct challenge to constitutional order. Initially peaceful, the demonstrations deteriorated as state authority weakened and organized groups linked to the old political elite exploited the unrest, transforming socioeconomic protest into coordinated violence. While the relative roles of spontaneous escalation, elite manipulation, and institutional failure remain contested, armories were raided, government buildings set ablaze, and security forces attacked in a coordinated manner, most notably in Almaty. Official figures put the death toll at at least 238, including 19 law-enforcement officers, marking a clear rupture between legitimate protest and armed unrest driven by criminal networks, intra-elite contestation, and failures of command and control. Had the violent seizure of power by non-constitutional means succeeded, it would likely have entrenched authority through force, foreclosed institutional reform, and plunged Kazakhstan into prolonged instability and isolation. Investigations followed the January 2022 violence, but key aspects—including the sequence of events and responsibility for deaths of peaceful civilians—have not been fully clarified in a comprehensive public account. While the state restored order and proceeded with reforms, dissatisfaction persists, particularly from some of the families of the deceased. Subsequent reforms and policy shifts After January 2022, President Tokayev moved quickly to stabilize the country and initiate a series of political and constitutional reforms. The unrest exposed longstanding structural imbalances in governance and state–society relations, reinforcing the rationale for a reform agenda centered on a “Fair and Just Kazakhstan” and a state more responsive to citizens’ needs. Significant constitutional changes adopted by referendum in June of 2022 were a key part of this process. These reforms reduced the concentration of presidential power, strengthened parliament, limited presidential terms, eased...

Transport

Astana Plans to Launch Driverless Taxis in 2026

Kazakhstan plans to launch pilot projects for autonomous taxi services in Astana as early as 2026. Memorandums of cooperation have been signed between the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, the Ministry of Transport, the capital’s akimat, and private companies inDrive and Yandex Qazaqstan. According to the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, Astana will be among the first cities in Kazakhstan to test driverless urban transport in real-world conditions. The initiative is part of the country’s broader “smart city” strategy and includes a phased rollout from the creation of a testing ground and a “regulatory sandbox” to limited on-road operation. The inDrive pilot project is expected to begin in early 2026. A preliminary route has already been mapped in coordination with the capital’s local government (akimat), running from Astana International Airport to the Abu Dhabi Plaza business center on the left bank of the Ishim River. Before deployment, all autonomous vehicles will undergo rigorous safety testing, including assessments related to passenger, pedestrian, and road user safety. Operators and manufacturers will oversee vehicle performance, and road risk evaluations will be mandatory. InDrive stated that the Astana project draws on the company’s previous experience with autonomous transport in Saudi Arabia. The driverless taxi service will be accessible through a mobile app, with designated boarding areas planned at Astana Airport. Full-scale deployment will proceed only after testing is complete and regulatory approvals are in place. A parallel pilot project is also planned with Yandex Qazaqstan. The company intends to gradually introduce autonomous taxis on a limited number of routes, beginning with trial operations. The service will feature 24/7 dispatch support, passenger insurance, and AI-based systems for real-time monitoring of road conditions. Expansion will follow once operational experience has been gained. The ministry highlighted that countries already using driverless taxis have reported reductions in serious traffic accidents. Authorities in Kazakhstan expect similar benefits, alongside a broader transformation in the ride-hailing industry and urban transportation. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kazakhstan is also preparing the infrastructure and regulatory frameworks for autonomous trucking on intercity highways.

Economic Growth

Development Spending in Kyrgyzstan Surpasses Social Spending for the First Time

The Kyrgyz government has reported strong economic performance in 2025, highlighting robust GDP growth and strengthened public finances. At a year-end meeting, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Adylbek Kasymaliev announced that all state objectives had been met despite challenging conditions. According to Kasymaliev, gross domestic product is expected to grow by more than 10% by year’s end, positioning Kyrgyzstan among the global leaders in economic growth. The country’s GDP reached $20.5 billion, and for the first time in its history, the consolidated budget surpassed $11.5 billion. A budget surplus of $392 million was recorded, which Kasymaliev described as a sign of growing financial stability. He emphasized the country’s accelerated infrastructure development, with 341 new facilities commissioned in 2025. Projects include roads, parks, cultural and sports centers, and residential buildings, many implemented under State Mortgage Company initiatives. Notably, for the first time, development expenditures outpaced social expenditures, a shift aligned with the recommendations of international financial institutions. Macroeconomic improvements were also supported by data from the National Bank of Kyrgyzstan. As of the third quarter of 2025, the banking sector showed strong lending growth: the overall loan portfolio rose by 10.5% over the quarter and approximately 33% year-on-year. Consumer loans made up the largest share at 16.6%, followed by mortgages at 10.5% and agricultural loans at 3.1%. Expansion in the construction sector has been driven by both state spending and foreign investment. Meanwhile, the dollarization of the loan portfolio continued to decline, falling to 17.8% from over 20% at the start of the year. “High activity among the population and businesses has contributed to an increase in lending in the national currency over the nine months of 2025,” the National Bank stated.