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Jonathan Campion

Contributor

Jonathan Campion has worked in the Eurasia region since 2007. After leaving Exeter University with a degree in Russian Language, he worked as a writer, editor, analyst and translator for international law firms, market research firms and business forums serving the CIS region's major industries.

With a passion for Central Asia, he has covered the region in esteemed publications such as the Lonely Planet, Open Central Asia magazine, and National Geographic Traveler.

Jonathan's first book, about a sports team from the Eurasia region, was shortlisted at the Charles Tyrwhitt Sports Book Awards in 2025.

Articles

International Women's Day

On International Women’s Day, Shakhnoza Mirziyoyeva Names Uzbekistan’s Female Athletes an “Inspiration”

For International Women’s Day on 8 March, Shakhnoza Mirziyoyeva, First Deputy Director of Uzbekistan’s National Agency for Social Protection, has shared comments with The Times of Central Asia in which she gives particular praise to the country’s sportswomen. Mirziyoyeva said: “As we celebrate International Women’s Day, I would like to praise Uzbekistan’s female athletes for inspiring more girls and women and giving them the confidence to pursue their dreams.” Fitness and active pursuits are increasingly at the forefront of government policy, as the country’s Soglom inson - soglom millat (“Healthy Person, Healthy Nation”) initiative – introduced by Mirziyoyeva’s father, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev – gains momentum. Mirziyoyeva added that sport enables women and girls to become leaders, namechecking Olympic gold medalist judoka Diyora Keldiyorova and taekwondo athlete Svetlana Osipova among those who promote active lifestyles. Mirziyoyeva was involved in establishing the Association of Adaptive Sports in Uzbekistan – a platform to unify and develop Uzbek parasports, and create opportunities for athletes with disabilities. She is First Deputy Chairperson of Uzbekistan’s Paralympic Committee, whose athletes are currently competing at the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina. “To the female athletes currently competing in Milano Cortina, your perseverance is an inspiration to us all,” her message to The Times of Central Asia continues, mentioning long-jumper Asila Mirzayorova and taekwondo athlete Guljonoy Naimova as Uzbek competitors carrying the country’s hopes at the Paralympics. “May your performances in Italy continue to build a legacy of inclusion and excellence that inspires generations to come - not only in Uzbekistan, but around the world.” Shakhnoza Mirziyoyeva’s message comes at the start of a standout year for Uzbek sports. The country’s football team will make its first appearance at a FIFA World Cup at the tournament in North America this summer. Samarkand will host the World Triathlon Championship Series on 25-26 April, then the 46th Chess Olympiad in September. The World Aquatics Swimming World Cup comes to Tashkent in October.

2 months ago

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 judokas representing more than 40 countries. Home hopes are resting on the Olympic medallist and World champion Davlat Bobonov, while other high-profile competitors include Olympic champions Hidayat Hedarov and Zelym Kotsoiev from Azerbaijan, and the Georgian Lasha Bekauri. The Grand Slam is separated into 14 weight categories. Friday’s action focuses on the lighter weight classes, including the women’s 48kg and men’s 60kg divisions. On Saturday the competition switches to the middleweight categories, while the final day on Sunday features the heavyweights. Uzbekistan is quietly establishing itself as a host for judo tournaments, having previously hosted the 2022 Judo World Championships, and the Grand Slam for the last five years. Uzbek judo is on the rise, with Diyora Keldiyorova winning the country’s first ever gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. “We look forward to welcoming the world’s best judokas to compete in Uzbekistan,” said Otabek Umarov, First Vice President of the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan, and Vice-President of the Olympic Council of Asia. “It is a great honour for Tashkent to continue to host major international judo events, and we thank the International Judo Federation for their continued trust. Hosting the Grand Slam not only inspires the next generation of athletes but stands as a testament to Uzbekistan’s dedication to the sport.” The 2026 Judo Grand Slam comes at the start of a standout year for Uzbek sports. The country’s football team will make its first appearance at a FIFA World Cup at the tournament in North America this summer. Samarkand will host the World Triathlon Championship Series on 25-26 April, then the 46th Chess Olympiad in September. The World Aquatics Swimming World Cup comes to Tashkent in October. To ensure the spirit of judo remains accessible to all fans and aspiring athletes across Central Asia, the Humo Arena will offer free admission to the public for the duration of the event. For fans abroad, the competition will be broadcast live to a global audience via the JudoTV platform.

2 months ago

Higher Education

American AI Company to Help Kazakhstan Develop University Admissions Exam

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the AI-based education company ETS say they are developing a new university admissions exam, the Admissions Insight Test (AIT), as part of a partnership launched in November 2025 to modernize the country’s national admissions system. Officials say the test is also meant to support the international recognition of results in future. “The Admissions Insight Test represents a decisive step forward for Kazakhstan’s higher education system,” said Sayasat Nurbek, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Science and Higher Education. “By building this new admissions exam in partnership with ETS, we are strengthening trust, fairness, and global alignment in how students enter our universities. This work positions Kazakhstan to lead in education innovation while ensuring our students are prepared for success in a rapidly changing, international, and AI-driven world.” ETS, which is headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey with offices worldwide, said the AIT would be modular. “Subject Modules” would align with the school curriculum and a student’s intended field of study. Separate “Skills Based Tests” would measure critical thinking, academic writing and research skills, communication, quantitative and digital literacy, and creative or design thinking. The ETS Research Institute is expected to work alongside Kazakhstan’s education leaders and National Testing Center specialists, using AI and advanced analytics to streamline development and deepen the insights universities get from results. Kazakhstan already uses nationwide testing as a central gateway into university, and policymakers have linked admissions changes to a broader push to become a regional education hub. “Around the world, governments are rethinking how education systems measure readiness for the future and they are turning to ETS because trust, rigor, and global expertise matter,” said Kadriye Ercikan, Senior Vice President of Global Research at ETS. “Our work with Kazakhstan reflects the same responsibility we bring to partnerships with education systems worldwide: applying the strongest measurement science, responsible innovation, and AI-enabled approaches to help countries build assessment systems that are fair, credible, and internationally respected.” The project sits alongside Kazakhstan’s higher education transformation and its decision to join OpenAI’s Education for Countries program as officials look to prepare students for an AI-shaped economy.

2 months ago

Motorsports

Uzbekistan’s Umarov Appointed to Board of World Motorsport Body

Otabek Umarov, the First Deputy Chairman of Uzbekistan’s National Olympic Committee, has become the first ever Central Asian to join the Senate of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) – the governing body for motorsport and the federation for mobility organizations. Umarov’s appointment to the FIA Senate ensures that there will be a Central Asian voice at the highest level of the motorsport industry. The FIA’s Senate controls the overall governance of the FIA and oversees the Federation’s financial and administrative matters, covering both sport and mobility. Umarov is married to Shakhnoza Mirziyoyeva, the youngest daughter of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. He has spent several years as Deputy Head of the Uzbek State Security Service. In addition to his role at Uzbekistan’s Olympic Committee, Umarov is the Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA). In recent years he has led the modernization of the country’s sports infrastructure, which will bring major international events to Uzbekistan this year. Samarkand will host the World Triathlon Championship Series (25-26 April) and the 46th Chess Olympiad (15-28 September), while the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup will be held in Tashkent on 8-10 October. Uzbekistan has also been named host of the 2029 Asian Youth Games. The country’s athletes are currently competing at the Winter Olympic Games in Milan.

3 months ago

Finance

Uzbekistan’s Central Bank Reaffirms Commitment to Reforms and Free Exchange Rate

Uzbekistan’s central bank has reiterated that the som’s exchange rate will be left to market forces, arguing that a 'free float' is key to its inflation-targeting framework. In a statement released this month, the Central Bank of Uzbekistan said the exchange rate should be treated as an indicator, not a policy target. Attempts to hold the currency at a chosen point, it warned, can build pressure that later unwinds in sharper moves. Any foreign exchange operations, it added, would be aimed at smoothing excessive, short-term volatility, rather than steering the market. The stance continues a shift that began with the 2017 liberalisation of the currency market, which gave more access to foreign exchange, and narrowed the gap between official and black market rates. Recent fluctuations in the som have been closely watched. An earlier report on why the som has held up at times pointed to remittance inflows, export earnings and a tighter domestic monetary stance. Uzbekistan adopted inflation targeting in 2020, using the policy rate as its main lever. The central bank has kept the key rate at 14% since December 2025. It is due to review it again on January 28. In its monetary policy guidelines for 2026–2028, the bank projects headline inflation easing to about 7% by the end of 2026 and returning to a 5% medium-term target in 2027, assuming monetary conditions remain restrictive, and external price pressures fade. A floating rate can cushion swings in commodity prices, remittances and trading partner demand. But it also passes currency shifts more directly into the cost of dollar-priced imports, from consumer goods to industrial inputs. That risk is heightened when energy shortages and higher fuel costs feed broader price pressures, as described in coverage of the region’s growing energy deficit. International lenders have broadly backed Uzbekistan’s direction, while urging deeper reforms. In late 2025, the IMF welcomed greater exchange-rate flexibility and called for continued structural changes, according to its latest review.

3 months ago

Legislation

Uzbekistan Brings Home Citizens Convicted Abroad

On August 13, Uzbekistan amended its Code of Criminal Procedure to compel Uzbekistan's citizens who have been imprisoned for crimes in certain foreign countries to serve the rest of their sentences in Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan has so far signed agreements with only 10 countries for imprisoned persons to be transferred to prisons in Uzbekistan to continue serving their sentences. According to Sherzod Tokhtashev, a politician from the government-aligned Miliy Tiklanish (National Revival) party, this law does not concern Uzbeks currently imprisoned in Russia. He did however mention that there are separate appeals in parliament to return Uzbek nationals convicted of crimes in Russia to domestic jails. At the same time, there are also calls for these prisoners' families to be brought home. “We receive requests to return children and relatives of Uzbeks from Russian prisons to Uzbekistan. Due to the lack of an agreement with Russia on the exchange of prisoners, everyone is helpless,” said Tokhtashev. According to Uzbek government, 20 citizens of Uzbekistan are currently serving terms in Italy, 250 in Turkey, and more than 450 in Kazakhstan.

2 years ago

Ecology

Bishkek’s Iconic Elm and Poplar Trees Suffering From Beetle Infestation

The larvae of the longhorn beetle (Aeolesthes sarta), commonly known as the woodcutter beetle, are destroying green spaces in Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek. The beetle appeared in the city ten years ago, but biologists have explained that its population has recently increased to worrying levels. The situation is being aggravated by the shortage of irrigation water in Bishkek, a result of faulty irrigation facilities. Trees in the capital are beginning to dry out, and their immunity to the effects of larvae infestation is weakening. The longhorn beetle lays its larvae in the bark of a tree, and as it matures, it eats the tree from the inside. The larvae's favorite trees, the elm and poplar, are the most common trees in Bishkek. Unlike other pests, the beetle cannot be irradicated with chemical treatments. Infested spaces must be destroyed completely. The Bishkek Zelenkhoz municipal enterprise, responsible for maintaining the city's green spaces, has reported that 90% of all adult elm trees and half of all poplars in the capital have become infected with longhorn beetle larvae. "Trees with signs of infestation remain green, and do not die immediately. After a while, the top dries up, and then the entire trunk follows. The death process takes about five years," Yuri Borvinok, head of the laboratory for woody and bush plants at the Kyrgyz Academy of Sciences, told The Times of Central Asia. Kyrgyz authorities are having difficulty controlling pests because of current laws. In Kyrgyzstan's populated areas, chemical treatment of greenery is prohibited to prevent harm to people, and burning plant debris such as leaves and branches is also forbidden. "When we used to burn plants and foliage, these measures deterred the miner moth, woodcutter beetles, and other pests; today, nothing prevents the mass spread of beetles," Borvinok said. Municipal officials are looking for an effective method to control the beetles. "Some trees we cut down, take out of town, and burn there. In addition to the elm trees, the woodcutter attacks poplars. There is a danger that it will move to other trees. This beetle can not be taken down by anything. That's why we are planting new species, linden, maple, and acacia," said Zhanybek Zhumaliyev, head of the Zelenkhoz enterprise's planning department.

2 years ago