Forced and Child Labor Persist in Turkmen Cotton Harvest, UN Experts Say
The International Labour Organization (ILO), a United Nations agency focused on labor rights, has confirmed cases of forced labor involving public sector employees and children during Turkmenistan’s 2024 cotton harvest, despite a formal government ban introduced in July of that year. Public Sector Employees and Children Sent to the Fields...
Inside the EU’s New Power Play in Eurasia
Kaja Kallas’s late-March 2025 tour of Central Asia, in her role as the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, was a high-signal intervention in structural terms. It indicates a major re-evaluation of the EU’s posture toward a region historically treated as a far-flung, liminal borderland. As...
EU’s Kallas Tours Central Asia Ahead of Landmark Samarkand Summit
Last week, Kaja Kallas, the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, toured Central Asia in advance of the first-ever EU-Central Asia Summit. The notable meeting is set to take place in the ancient Uzbek city of Samarkand on April 3-4....
Kyrgyzstan’s Gold Reserves Could Last a Century, Says Top Geologist
Kyrgyzstan’s largest gold mining operation, Kumtor Gold Company, has identified an additional 147 tons of gold through recent geological exploration. These reserves have now been officially added to the balance sheet of the state-run enterprise, reinforcing expert forecasts that gold extraction in the country can continue for decades to come....
Historic Khujand Summit Paves Way for Peace in the Ferghana Valley
The presidents of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan gathered in the northern Tajik city of Khujand on March 31 for meeting that is decades overdue. Among the agreements the three signed were one fixing the border where their three countries meet. Prior to Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s arrival, Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr...
Scientists of Ancient Central Asia Still Relevant in the Modern World; The Idea of the Averaged Turkic Language
There is a debate on social media between Uzbek and Tajik communities about the medieval scholar Ibn Sina. The discussion revolves around the question of nationality — was Ibn Sina Tajik, Uzbek, or something else? Similar debates have emerged about other medieval scholars, including Al-Farabi. Ibn Sina (commonly known in...
Segiz: Exploring Kazakhstan’s Beauty on the Road Less Traveled
The Times of Central Asia’s cinematographer for the World Nomad Games, Ilyas Otan, is on a mission to put Kazakhstan's tourism on the map. An independent film producer and fixer, Otan took a bold step to showcase his vision, producing Segiz with director Almas Maksut, a captivating short documentary that...
Traditional Storytellers in Kyrgyzstan Face Scrutiny From Authorities
Asylbek Maratov is a performer of folk-style poetry in Kyrgyzstan, a form of cultural expression that dates from the time when nomads roamed Central Asia and involves music and improvisation, often delivered at ceremonies and other special events as well as on social media Lately, Maratov and some other akyns,...
Sunkar Podcast
Repatriating Islamic State Fighters and Families: Balancing Security and Humanity
