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Social Security

Turkmen Pensioners Endure Long Queues to Prove They Are Alive

At the start of each year, elderly citizens and benefit recipients across Turkmenistan are forced to endure long hours in line at social security offices, as part of a biannual process requiring them to prove they are still alive. This routine formality has become a grueling ordeal, especially amid growing discontent over the government’s refusal to adjust payments as it had in previous years. Twice annually, in January and July, pensioners and beneficiaries must appear in person at local offices to receive a stamp in their pension books, confirming eligibility and the amount of payment for the next six months. Failure to do so results in an immediate suspension of payments. While retroactive disbursements are promised upon eventual reappearance, surviving without income for six months is an impossible burden for many. Reports of queues have emerged from across the country. Beneficiaries point out that the process could be easily streamlined with scheduled appointments or structured lists. However, no such measures are being implemented. Instead, in freezing cold or scorching heat, elderly people, women with young children, and individuals with disabilities must wait for hours. In the city of Turkmenbashi, residents expressed particular frustration. Many pensioners reportedly held out hope until the last moment for the traditional 10% increase in payments and were shocked to find it canceled this year. For those in rural areas, even an extra $2.50 to $3 per month can make a significant difference. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that the cancellation of the 2026 pension and benefit indexation triggered sharp discontent among older residents. Many only learned of the decision during their January visits and openly expressed their anger. The move stems from a position voiced in the fall of 2025 at a parliamentary session. Honorary elder Yazmyrat Atamyradov proposed a complete freeze on wage, pension, benefit, and scholarship growth, claiming the standard of living for Turkmenistan’s “happy people” was rising sufficiently.

Sports

Turkmenistan’s Arkadag to Face Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr in AFC Champions League

Turkmenistan’s Arkadag football team has drawn Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr, one of the favorites to win the AFC Champions League, in the round of 32. The Riyadh-based club features global football icon Cristiano Ronaldo. The play-off stage draw was held on December 30 in Kuala Lumpur. Arkadag could have faced Jordan’s Al-Hussein or the UAE’s Al-Wasl, but the outcome proved more challenging. Al-Nassr, widely considered a top contender for the title, will now travel to Ashgabat for a critical away match. Cristiano Ronaldo has been with the Saudi club for three seasons but has yet to play a match in Central Asia. In both 2023 and 2025, Al-Nassr shared a group with Tajikistan’s Istiklol. However, in each case, the matches in Dushanbe occurred late in the group stage, with Al-Nassr having already secured qualification, prompting the club to rest its key players. The upcoming encounter may break that pattern. As the first match of a two-legged tie, Al-Nassr is unlikely to underestimate its opponent. Arkadag, the reigning AFC Challenge League champion, has established itself as a formidable home team, maintaining an unbeaten record since its founding. In last season’s Challenge League playoffs, Arkadag defeated India’s East Bengal 2-1 and Kuwait’s Al-Arabi 3-0 on home turf. In this season’s AFC Champions League, the team has continued its strong form, securing a 1-0 win over Bahrain’s Al-Khalidiya and drawing 1-1 with both Uzbekistan’s Andijan and Qatar’s Al-Ahli. For Al-Nassr, the match represents an away challenge against a little-known but dangerous opponent. Arkadag's home advantage, unwavering support from local fans, and spotless home record make the team a serious threat, even for a club boasting global superstars. The first-leg match is scheduled for February 10 or 11 in Turkmenistan, with the return leg set for February 17 or 18 in Saudi Arabia. Arkadag is Central Asia’s sole representative in the AFC Champions League round of 32. However, the region will also be represented in the AFC Challenge League playoffs, with Kyrgyzstan’s Muras United advancing to the next stage. The Ashgabat fixture may become not only the highlight of Turkmenistan’s football winter, but also a rare opportunity for Central Asian fans to witness one of the world’s greatest players compete on regional soil.

U.S. Visa Bond

U.S. Adds Turkmenistan to Visa Bond List, Raising Entry Costs for Travelers

The Trump administration has added seven countries, including Turkmenistan, to a list requiring some visa applicants to post bonds of up to $15,000 to enter the United States, according to a notice published on the U.S. State Department’s travel website. The measure took effect on January 1. The newly designated countries are Bhutan, Botswana, the Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia, and Turkmenistan. With these additions, the total number of countries subject to the bond requirement has risen to thirteen, most of them in Africa. As reported by the Associated Press, the policy applies to passport holders from the listed countries seeking certain non-immigrant visas who are considered at higher risk of overstaying. According to U.S. officials, the bonds, ranging from $5,000 to $15,000, are intended to ensure compliance with visa conditions. The State Department has stated that the requirement is designed to encourage timely departure from the U.S. Payment of the bond does not guarantee visa issuance; if a visa is denied, or if the applicant complies with all visa terms, the bond is refunded. The policy is part of a broader tightening of U.S. entry rules under President Donald Trump. Recent changes include mandatory in-person interviews for most visa applicants, expanded disclosure of social media histories, and more detailed reporting of personal travel and residency records. For Turkmenistan, the move marks a shift in U.S. policy. Although the six-month suspension on issuing new U.S. visas to Turkmen citizens has been partially lifted, access to the U.S. has, in practice, become significantly more restricted. Heightened scrutiny and increased financial requirements have sharply narrowed the pool of applicants eligible for tourist and business visas. In effect, travel to the U.S. is now largely limited to a small segment of Turkmen citizens who can demonstrate sufficient financial means and meet stricter security and compliance criteria. As a result, the formal easing of visa restrictions has not translated into broader mobility but instead introduced new filtering mechanisms. A similar approach has previously been observed in Turkmenistan’s outbound travel policies. According to turkmen.news, Turkmen travel agencies require a security deposit of $500 when arranging 60-day visas to the United Arab Emirates. The measure is intended to offset fines imposed if travelers fail to leave the UAE after their visa expires. In December of last year, The Times of Central Asia reported that the United States had lifted its suspension on the entry of Turkmen citizens holding non-immigrant visas. That suspension had been imposed under a June executive order signed by President Trump that restricted entry from nineteen countries. A subsequent order expanded controls on nations the White House said had serious deficiencies in screening and vetting procedures, paving the way for measures such as the visa bond requirement. Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan were also added to the U.S. list. Restrictions on citizens of these countries are set to take effect on January 21, 2026. In July of last year, the U.S. State Department imposed additional restrictions on the issuance of B-1/B-2 visas for Kyrgyz...

Social Protection

Turkmen Pensioners Decry Government’s Refusal to Index Payments

The Turkmen government's decision to forgo its customary annual increase in pensions and benefits in 2026 has sparked sharp discontent among elderly citizens. Pensioners, arriving to have their documents updated for the year, have discovered that payment amounts remain unchanged and many are not hiding their anger. Since January 2, retirees have been visiting social security offices where pension amounts are officially recorded in their books. In previous years, this annual procedure was typically accompanied by an indexation of around 10%, helping to offset inflation and rising prices. That practice has been discontinued. Pension and social benefit levels remain frozen, despite the ongoing increase in living costs. The decision not to index pensions was announced in autumn 2025 during a parliamentary session, where honorary elder Yazmyrat Atamyradov proposed a complete halt to increases in salaries, pensions, state benefits, and scholarships. He claimed the “happy people” of Turkmenistan already enjoy a steadily improving standard of living, making additional financial support unnecessary. The response from the public has been stark. Pensioners are openly criticizing the government and President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, not only in social services offices but also in markets, on public transport, and in other public places. Many older citizens recall a similarly severe decision under the country’s first president, Saparmurat Niyazov, when pensions were abolished entirely. Witnesses from that time report that some elderly individuals, left without support, were pushed to the brink of survival. The current cost-of-living crisis has exacerbated the backlash. Over the past year, food prices have surged. Beef has risen from $17.40-$20.30 to $31.90-$33.40 per kilogram, and local apples have jumped from $4.35 to $7.69 per kilogram. As of January 1, 2025, the minimum pension in Turkmenistan was set at $159.50. That figure remains unchanged in 2026, despite the deepening economic pressures faced by retirees.

Azerbaijan

Central Asia Can Depend on Azerbaijan for Path to West, Aliyev Says

Azerbaijan is the only “reliable country” that can geographically link Central Asia to the West because alternative routes face geopolitical turbulence, according to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Aliyev spoke about Azerbaijan’s prospects as a key conduit for commerce across borders as well as its deepening relationship with Central Asia during a wide-ranging interview with local television channels in Baku on Monday. He acknowledged that there is still work to be done before Azerbaijan can approach its full potential as what he called a “living bridge” for international trade. The remarks followed a summit in Uzbekistan in November in which Central Asian leaders supported Azerbaijan’s accession to the region’s Consultative Meeting format as a full participant, even though Azerbaijan is in the South Caucasus. The Consultative Meeting format is a vehicle for high-level collaboration on trade, security, and other issues among Central Asian countries, which have taken steps to resolve border disputes and other sources of tension over the years. “So many projects have been implemented in recent years that these countries have unanimously elected us as a full member. We can also consider this a great political and diplomatic success,” Aliyev said during the interview. His remarks were published by the state Azerbaijani Press Agency, or APA. Referring to international connectivity, transport, and logistics, the president said, “Azerbaijan is the only reliable country that can geographically connect Central Asia with the West today,” and, without going into specifics, he alluded to the difficulties that some other trade channels face. Paths through Russia and Iran to the West, for example, are affected by sanctions and long-running political tensions. “Of course, from a geographical point of view, other routes can also be used. However, taking into account the current geopolitical situation, we can say with complete certainty that alternative routes for the West cannot be considered acceptable,” Aliyev said. He mentioned developing projects such as a November 2024 agreement involving Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan to lay a fiber-optic cable along the Caspian seabed, as well as China’s large-scale funding for the construction of another railway to the Caspian Sea via Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. “Freight traffic to the Caspian Sea, and therefore to Azerbaijan, will increase,” the Azerbaijani president said. “Along with Central Asian countries, additional freight from China will naturally increase the demand for the East–West route, the Middle Corridor.” A September analysis by the Washington-based Jamestown research group suggested that prospects are bright for Azerbaijan, which has actively positioned itself as a trade hub since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. “Amid disruptions in both the northern and southern corridors, Azerbaijan has emerged as a critical logistics hub, offering a sanction-free, resilient, and stable environment to facilitate overland trade between the PRC (China) and Europe through the Middle Corridor,” analyst Yunis Sharifli wrote. In addition, Azerbaijan expects cargo from China and Central Asia to travel along a proposed route that would link the main part of Azerbaijan to the separate Azerbaijani area of Nakhchivan, passing through Armenia and then...

Venezuela

Central Asia Watches as Venezuela Drama Unfolds

Governments in Central Asia have not made any public comment, so far, on the U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, at a time when relations between Central Asian countries and the administration of President Donald Trump are growing closer. The operation on Saturday involved more than 150 American aircraft and extracted Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from their compound in Caracas, prompting celebrations from many Venezuelan expatriates who viewed Maduro as a dictator, criticism from countries including Russia and China, and concerns that the complex attack violated international law. Additional questions about Venezuela’s sovereignty emerged after Trump said the United States will “run” the country ahead of a transition and that American oil companies will help to rebuild its oil infrastructure. The U.S. has argued that Maduro himself effectively hijacked Venezuelan sovereignty through electoral fraud, repression and by allegedly funneling illegal drugs to the U.S. Maduro, who has been indicted on narco-terrorism and other charges, denies the allegations. Countries in Central Asia are more than 10,000 kilometers away from Venezuela and their trade with the Latin American country is minimal, suggesting the uncertain and evolving situation there lies far outside their immediate area of interest. In May, Tokayev met Maduro in Moscow and invited him to visit Kazakhstan after describing Venezuela as an important partner. “However, he acknowledged that, due to objective reasons, significant achievements in bilateral cooperation have yet to be realized,” Tokayev’s office said at the time. Still, Tokayev and other Central Asian leaders have spoken in general terms of their adherence to United Nations principles of sovereignty, an issue that is being vigorously debated in some international circles after the U.S. military operation. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, who visited Central Asia in 2024 and 2025, has said that the U.S. military operation that extracted Maduro to New York constitutes a "dangerous precedent" and that he was concerned that the rules of international law had not been respected. The U.S. capture of the leader of oil-rich Venezuela has not had a major impact for now on global oil prices, indicating that Central Asia’s oil and natural gas producers will not see any big fallout. Even so, at a time of ongoing geopolitical tension, a major shock or event in one region could influence distant regions in ways that are difficult to discern. Russia and China, which are close trading partners with Central Asia and nurtured trade and political ties with Maduro’s government, condemned the U.S. military operation in Venezuela. But the Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan – have not joined in the criticism, much as they have refrained from publicly supporting any side over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Central Asia’s balancing act reflects efforts to maintain good ties with major powers even when they are in conflict, and comes during a period of increasing trade collaboration with the United States. The five leaders from Central Asia traveled to Washington in November for a summit with Trump, who later invited...