The Times Of Central Asia | Eurasian Publication & News Online

The winter tourist season has officially opened in Karakol, Kyrgyzstan, long considered one of Central Asia’s top destinations for active winter tourism. The city is traditionally the first in the country to open its ski slopes, and this year’s launch was not merely technical, but a full-scale event aimed at...

Electric Vehicles

China’s Expanding Electric Bus Footprint in Central Asia

FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup: Uzbekistan to Face Portugal and Colombia in Group K

UN Security Council

Kyrgyzstan UN Security Council Bid Gains Backing from Central Asian Neighbors

Saltanat Law

Saltanat Law One Year On: Domestic Violence Crackdown, Hidden Barriers Remain

TCA Interviews

The Future of Kyrgyz Tech – Scaling Global Companies, Attracting Foreign Capital

In the second installment of our exclusive two-part interview, The Times of Central Asia continues its deep dive into Kyrgyzstan’s evolving tech landscape with Elena Nechaeva, Head of Communications at the High Technology Park of the Kyrgyz Republic (HTP). Last week, we explored the startups and entrepreneurs who are currently...

Sunkar Podcast

Central Asia and the Troubled Southern Route

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Opinions

Opinion: Kazakhstan Bets Big on AI to Power Local and Global Growth

Altair Akhmetov

Opinion: After the UN Gaza Resolution – Kazakhstan’s Potential Role

Timur Serikuly

Opinion: Abraham Accords Can Help Kazakhstan Reshape Its Energy Future

Dr. Robert M. Cutler

Opinion: Kazakhstan’s Electoral Reforms – Why Officials and Experts Are Reconsidering Local Democracy

Andrei Matveev

Opinion: Central Asia Is Consolidating Its Role as a Full-Fledged Actor in Global Processes

Mavlon Bobokhonov

Opinion: Multi-Vectorism 2.0 – Kazakhstan Seeks Balance in a Shifting Geopolitical Landscape

Timur Serikuly

Opinion: The Integration of Afghanistan into Central Asia

Dr. M. Assem Mayar

Opinion: Kazakhstan Joins Abraham Accords – More Than a Symbolic Gesture

Uzma Parveen

Opinion: A Trump Visit to Central Asia Would Deliver Results and Anchor a Corridor Strategy

Dr. Robert M. Cutler

Opinion: China’s Diplomatic Power Play Unfolds in Tianjin

Andrei Matveev

Opinion: Gas, Geopolitics, and Realism: U.S.–Turkmenistan Talks Signal Shift

Javier M. Piedra

Insider’s View: From Reform to Rights – Strengthening Uzbekistan’s Legal Foundations

Akmal Saidov

Business & Economy

ACWA Power

Uzbekistan Lifts Import Duties and Advances ACWA Power Projects

Uzbekistan will remove unilateral import duties for seven countries as part of a government initiative to develop its construction materials sector, according to a presidential decree published on Lex.uz. The countries included in the exemption are Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Mongolia. The Ministry of Investments, Industry and Trade, in coordination with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Customs Committee, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has been given two months to draft a program of measures through 2027. This program will focus on lifting import duties and establishing systems for mutual recognition of certificates of...

Economic Growth

Kazakhstan Projects Strong GDP Growth as Economy Nears 300 Billion Dollars in 2025

Aviation

Kazakhstan Expands Airbus Ties and Strengthens French Aviation Cooperation

AIIB

AIIB Projects Win Awards as Uzbekistan Rises in Regional Infrastructure Finance

Agriculture

Kazakhstan-China Agricultural Research Center to Open in Key Grain-Producing Region

External debt

Uzbekistan’s External Debt Reaches $43.97 Billion

Uzbekistan’s external debt reached 43.97 billion dollars as of October 1, according to data released by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The increase of 473 million dollars over the previous quarter reflects a slowdown in borrowing, even as the government continues to rely on foreign funding to sustain public spending and major infrastructure projects. The country’s largest creditor remains the World Bank, which has extended 8 billion dollars in loans. This is followed by the Asian Development Bank with 7.5 billion dollars and international investors who hold 5.8 billion dollars in Eurobonds. Loans from Chinese financial institutions total 3.7...

Turkic Investment Fund

Turkic Investment Fund to Launch Operations in Early 2026

At a meeting held in Bishkek on December 5, the Board of Governors of the Turkic Investment Fund (TIF) announced that the Fund will begin its operational activities in the first quarter of 2026. With an initial authorized capital of 500 million dollars and a potential increase to 1.5 billion dollars, the TIF is the first dedicated financial institution jointly established by the Turkic states. Its mission is to enhance economic cooperation, boost intra-regional trade, and support sustainable development across the Turkic world. Headquartered in Istanbul, the Fund will finance major joint projects among member states of the Organization of...

Accident

Blast Kills Four Workers at Explosives Plant in Uzbekistan

Four workers died and four were injured in an explosion and fire at a factory in Uzbekistan that supplies explosives to mining enterprises in Central Asia, emergency officials said on Saturday. The government said it was an accident. The blast at the Shams Ltd. facility happened in a workshop at 9:40 a.m. on Saturday in the Kogon district of the Bukhara region, and the fire was extinguished by 10:27 a.m., the Ministry of Emergency Situations said. Four out of the 30 workers who were in the warehouse died, the ministry said. “Four employees who received minor injuries were taken to...

energy saving

EBRD and EU Allocate €43 Million to Modernize Tajikistan’s Power Grid

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union have announced a joint initiative to enhance the reliability and transparency of Tajikistan’s electricity distribution system. Under the agreement, a €43 million financing package will support the state-owned electricity distributor Shabakahoi Taqsimoti Barq (STB). The funding aims to reduce technical losses and improve efficiency by upgrading essential infrastructure. The “Energy Loss Reduction” project was officially signed on December 4 at Tajikistan’s Ministry of Finance. The agreement was endorsed by Minister of Finance Faiziddin Kahhorzoda and the EBRD’s permanent representative in Tajikistan, Holger Wiefel. The project is backed by...

Local Politics

Human rights

New CIVICUS Report Warns of Mounting Restrictions on Freedoms in Turkmenistan

The global civil society alliance CIVICUS has published an updated report on the worsening state of rights and freedoms in Turkmenistan. The document, compiled by the International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) and the Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights (TIHR), covers the period from June to November 2025 and outlines several disturbing trends. According to the report, Turkmen authorities continue to target individuals they deem politically “inconvenient.” This includes former political prisoners, who, despite their release, remain under tight surveillance and face ongoing restrictions. The report highlights an intensifying crackdown on freedom of expression. While state-controlled media project an image...

Import

Over Half a Million Tons of Cargo Blocked from Entering Kyrgyzstan in 2025 Over Phytosanitary Violations

Kazakhstan's Parliament

Tokayev Signals End of Presidential Appointments in Unicameral Parliament Plan

Electric Vehicles

Electric Vehicles in Kazakhstan: Growth, Gaps, and the Road Ahead

Waste Management

South Korea to Support Landfill Project in Northern Kyrgyzstan

Society

Women Who Wear Niqab in Public in Kazakhstan to Risk Fines Under New Law

The Mazhilis, the lower house of the Kazakh parliament, has approved in its second reading a draft law “On the Prevention of Offenses,” which introduces fines for wearing a niqab, or other clothing that covers the face, preventing identification in public spaces. The bill amends the Code of Administrative Offenses to include penalties for such violations. A first offense will result in a warning; a second offense will incur a fine of $78 under current rates, increasing to $86 from 2026. A ban on face-covering garments, including both masks and niqabs, was first introduced in the summer of 2025. The...

Kyrgyzstan Elections

Kyrgyzstan Election Delivers Wins for Women and the President’s Allies

Kyrgyzstan held snap parliamentary elections on November 30 that seem not to have elicited widespread enthusiasm among the electorate. Not long ago, Kyrgyzstan had the most vibrant political culture in Central Asia. Campaigning for parliamentary elections was a lively period that was impossible not to notice. Parties and candidates were in the news constantly in the weeks before the elections. There were campaign posters and signs, and public events with concerts organized by parties or candidates all around the country. The rapid pace of these latest elections, in which candidates had only 20 days to campaign, might have contributed to...

Kyrgyzstan Elections

Kyrgyzstan Early Parliamentary Elections See 36.9% Voter Turnout

Kyrgyzstan held early parliamentary elections on November 30, with voter turnout reaching 36.9%, according to the Central Election Commission (CEC). Of the 4,294,000 registered voters, more than 1.5 million cast their ballots. Polling stations across the country and abroad closed at 8:00 p.m. local time. While an automated accounting system (AAS) was used during the voting process, Kyrgyz electoral law requires that electronic results be verified against manual counts. Members of precinct commissions conducted manual ballot counts after the polls closed. The CEC reported receiving 269 complaints regarding potential violations of electoral law during the campaign. These included 124 reports...

Electoral Reform

Opinion: Kazakhstan’s Electoral Reforms – Why Officials and Experts Are Reconsidering Local Democracy

The metaphor that history moves in a spiral has resurfaced in Kazakhstan, where ongoing debates over electoral reform and information policy are testing the boundaries of the country’s democratic trajectory. Recent official messaging points toward a more managed model of political participation, framed as a necessary response to emerging challenges. This trajectory was articulated by State Councilor Erlan Karin in his article, "The Politics of Common Sense," published in the state-run Kazakhstanskaya Pravda. In the piece, Karin reflects on the formation of public values in Kazakhstan, portraying it as an evolutionary process. Simultaneously, Karin references government-led social programs, such as...

International Affairs

Caspian Pipeline Consortium

Protecting Critical Infrastructure: Lessons from the CPC Drone Attack

The attack by naval drones on the infrastructure of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) on 29 November was an alarming signal, not only for Kazakhstan but for the global energy sector. The temporary suspension of shipments and the shift to operating through a single remote mooring facility struck at the heart of Kazakhstan’s economy. Around 80% of Kazakhstan’s oil exports – generating roughly 40% of its export revenues – pass through the CPC, which has handled over 60 million tons of crude annually in recent years. The vulnerability of CPC infrastructure serves as a reminder of how tightly global energy...

Afghanistan

Reuters News Agency Pulls Report on Tajik-Russian Talks on Guarding Afghan Border

TCA Interviews

The New Geoeconomics of Uzbekistan: Insights from ISRS Director Eldor Aripov

Tajik-Afghan Border

Tajikistan Reports New Militant Attack from Afghanistan; Chinese Citizens Killed

Trans-Afghan Railway

Icy Relations Between Pakistan and Afghanistan Threaten Central Asian Trade Plans

UN Security Council

Kyrgyzstan UN Security Council Bid Gains Backing from Central Asian Neighbors

In a show of regional unity, the presidents of all of the Central Asian countries have endorsed Kyrgyzstan’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2027–2028 term. The joint appeal was announced on December 4 at a UN press briefing in New York by Uzbekistan’s Permanent Representative, Ulugbek Lapasov, who called on UN member states to support the bid. According to Lapasov, the endorsement reflects the region’s intent to strengthen its voice in international peace and security efforts. Kyrgyzstan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Aida Kasymalieva, welcomed the unified support from neighboring states. Kasymalieva...

TCA Interviews

Why Regional Connectivity Is Reshaping Central Asia: Insights from ISRS Director Eldor Aripov (Part Two)

The Times of Central Asia presents the second part of an interview in Washington, D.C. with Eldor Aripov, Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan. Dr. Aripov sat down with our Washington Correspondent, Javier M. Piedra, to discuss Uzbekistan’s geoeconomic and geopolitical strategic thinking. The conversation focused on Uzbekistan’s and the region’s efforts to cooperate diplomatically to maintain peace and stability with neighbors, irrespective of historical “hotspots,” cultural sensitivities, or the all-important matter of water resources. Aripov comments on Afghanistan, Chabahar Port (Iran), Ferghana Valley, and business development – key for U.S. investors...

Borders

Uzbekistan Reopens Termez-Hairaton Passenger Crossing with Afghanistan

Uzbekistan has reopened the Termez-Hairaton passenger crossing, restoring direct movement between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, the country’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry has announced via its official Telegram channel. While visa requirements remain in effect, the decision marks a significant step toward improving cross-border mobility and trade. Passenger movement across the strategic bridge had been suspended since 2021, complicating travel for Uzbek entrepreneurs. To reach Mazar-i-Sharif, just 75 kilometers from the Ayritom checkpoint, businesspeople were previously forced to take an all-day detour through Tajikistan. The resumption of direct access eliminates a major logistical barrier for exporters and traders. Officials say the...

Peace Talks

Opinion: After the UN Gaza Resolution – Kazakhstan’s Potential Role

The implementation of any new approaches aimed at a rapid, peaceful resolution of the Middle East conflict, including the latest UN Security Council resolution, which authorizes the deployment of International Stabilization Forces (ISF), shows that the international community is once again reaching the limits of tools that rely solely on security measures, temporary control, and external administration. Even the most carefully calibrated political or administrative frameworks cannot produce sustainable results unless the ideological nature of the conflict, including its spiritual, historical, and value-based foundations, is changed. It is increasingly clear today that peace in the Holy Land requires not only diplomatic...

Life & Culture

Creative Industries

Kyrgyzstan’s Creative Industries Park: Inside the Country’s Latest Artistic “Miracle”

Kyrgyz cinema in the 1960s to 1970s was sometimes referred to as the ‘Kyrgyz Miracle’, for the number of great pieces that were made during this time. This is still symbolic today, as the country is now in another ‘miracle’ era for the creative industries, which is setting an example not just for the Central Asia region, but globally. In 2023 Daniyar Amanaliev, Co-Founder of an art studio named Ololo and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Creative Industries Park, told Deutsche Welle: “We have a very small country. When you start a business here, it's very difficult to...

Tourism

“Winter Begins in Karakol”: Kyrgyzstan Launches Ski Season with Cultural Events

TCA Interviews

La Tregua: A Bridge Across Wars and Worlds – An Interview with Director Miguel Ángel Vivas

Healthcare

How Vaccine Refusals Are Affecting Public Health in Kazakhstan

Sports

Kazakhstan’s World Champion Boxer Alimkhanuly Faces Doping Scandal Ahead of Title Unification Bout

Media

Kazakh Journalists Set to Ring in 2026 at the “JingleBendz” Media Party

On 12 December, Almaty will host the New Year’s edition of the professional media party “Day J,” titled JingleBendz 2025. The annual event brings together journalists, editors, public relations specialists, and media executives, and is regarded as one of the leading informal networking platforms in Kazakhstan’s communications industry. According to the organizers, the evening will include informal awards for journalists and PR professionals. Since the project’s launch 11 years ago, more than 140 representatives of the media sector have received accolades. This year, participants will also receive special gifts, including a separate award presented by the event’s general sponsor, Yandex...

FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup: Uzbekistan to Face Portugal and Colombia in Group K

Among the highlights for Uzbekistan at next year’s FIFA World Cup will be facing Portugal striker Cristiano Ronaldo in his last campaign in the event, to be held in Mexico, Canada and the United States. Uzbekistan, which has qualified for the World Cup for the first time and is ranked 50th in the FIFA rankings, is in the four-team group K, one of 12 groups in the draw that was announced on Friday in Washington D.C. Group K includes sixth-ranked Portugal; Colombia, which is 13th in the FIFA standings; and a fourth team that is yet to be decided. Either...

Podcast

Pannier and Hillard’s Spotlight on Central Asia: New Episode Available 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 of The Red Line, each fortnightly instalment will take you on a deep dive into the latest news, developments, security issues, and social trends across an increasingly pivotal region. In the new episode, available now, the team breaks down a flurry of developments reshaping Central Asia's security landscape, from the...

Culture

British-Kazakh Cultural Festival Returns to Burabay

Burabay, a popular lake resort in northern Kazakhstan, has hosted the 10th edition of the 'Voices of Friends: Poetry & Art' festival, which ran from 29 November to 2 December. The annual gathering, arranged by the London-based Eurasian Creative Guild (ECG), has become one of Central Asia's events for cultural collaboration, bringing together writers, filmmakers, visual artists and musicians from 20 countries. This year’s programme continued the festival’s mix of literature and modern arts, with an emphasis for 2025 on emerging film talent, through the youth-focused Cinema Future festival and the Burabay International Short Film Festival (BISFF). According to filmmaker...

Justice

Saltanat Law

Saltanat Law One Year On: Domestic Violence Crackdown, Hidden Barriers Remain

In the spring of 2024, the world's attention turned to Astana as the trial of former minister Kuandyk Bishimbayev unfolded. Accused of the brutal murder of his common-law wife, Saltanat Nukenova, the proceedings were broadcast live, marking the region’s first live-streamed murder trial, which was widely followed like a reality show. The livestream drew hundreds of thousands across Kazakhstan, with daily clips dissected on TikTok and Telegram channels, a public fixation that turned the courtroom into a national arena Under intense public pressure, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a landmark legislative reform popularly dubbed “Saltanat's Law.” These amendments enhanced protections for...

Tajik-Afghan Border

Taliban Arrests Suspects After Deadly Attacks on Chinese Citizens Near Tajik-Afghan Border

Trump Administration

Turkmenistan Included as Trump Tightens U.S. Immigration Ban After D.C. Shooting

Kyrgyzstan Elections

Arrests of Opposition Politicians in Kyrgyzstan Sparks Outcry Ahead of Elections

Oil and Gas

Kazakhstan vs Eni: How a Swiss Lawsuit Could Reshape the $160 Billion Kashagan Dispute

Freedom of Speech

Information Sovereignty? Central Asia Tightens Control Over Its Information Space

Across the post-Soviet space, governments are adopting new measures that affect the scope of free expression. Similar trends are visible in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and parts of Eastern Europe, reflecting wider global shifts in how states manage their information environments. In Central Asia, where journalism has long faced political constraints, recent policies indicate a renewed emphasis on controlling the flow of information. From Georgia to Kazakhstan: Pushback Against Foreign Narratives Recent events in Georgia highlight these changes. The adoption of a controversial “foreign agents” law, widely described as a Russian-style or “pro-Russian” measure, reflected the ruling party’s growing hostility...

Human rights

Human Rights Groups Urge Turkmenistan to Release Activists Ahead of Neutrality Anniversary

As Turkmenistan prepares to mark the 30th anniversary of its policy of permanent neutrality, international human rights organizations are urging the government to commemorate the occasion by releasing civil society activists imprisoned for peacefully expressing their views. In a joint appeal, the International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR), the Turkmen Initiative for Human Rights (TIHR), Turkmen.News, and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC) called on Turkmen authorities to use the milestone as an opportunity to take a humanitarian step by pardoning activists jailed on politically motivated charges. The organizations emphasized that presidential pardons remain the only available legal mechanism for early...

Migrants

Number of Tajik Citizens on Russia’s “Controlled Persons” List Surpasses 150,000

The number of Tajik nationals included in Russia’s registry of “controlled persons” has risen sharply, according to new figures released by the Representative Office of Tajikistan’s Ministry of Labor, Migration and Employment in Russia. Citing the latest update, Asia-Plus reports that more than 150,000 Tajik citizens were listed as of November, an increase of approximately 30,000 since the last official count. The previous figures, published in October 2024, placed the number at over 120,000. Since then, the Tajik authorities have repeatedly urged migrants in Russia to legalize their status and take steps to be removed from the so-called “blacklist.” However,...

Drug Trafficking

Tajik Border Guards Deploy Drones to Intercept Afghan Smugglers

Tajikistan’s border service has reported the elimination of a group of drug smugglers attempting to cross into the country from Afghanistan, according to a broadcast by Tajik state television on November 22. The State Committee for National Security stated that the incident occurred late on November 20 in the Hamadoni district, where border guards detected an illegal crossing at 22:50. Afghan smugglers were located and targeted using a domestically produced drone, marking the first time Tajik border forces have used locally developed unmanned aerial technology in such an operation. Authorities said that on the morning of November 21, officers discovered...

Environment

Irrigation

South Kazakhstan Braces for Irrigation Water Shortages in 2026

On December 4–5, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbayev, accompanied by Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov and Minister of Agriculture Aidarbek Saparov, visited the southern regions of Turkistan, Kyzylorda, and Zhambyl. The delegation met with local farmers to address the growing risks posed by declining transboundary water inflows and to discuss measures to ensure efficient water use during the 2026 irrigation season. Agriculture in these arid regions depends heavily on water from the Syr Darya River, which originates in Kyrgyzstan. According to the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, Kazakhstan’s agricultural sector consumed 11.01 billion cubic meters...

Climate Change

Journal Retracts Climate Study After Discovering Errors in Uzbekistan’s Economic Data

Water Crisis

Russia Revives Plan to Redirect Siberian Rivers as Central Asia Faces Worsening Water Crisis

Wildlife

Kazakhstan’s Ecology Ministry Says Saiga Population May Surpass Five Million in 2026

Wildlife Conservation

Samarkand’s CoP20 Opens with High-Stakes Debates on Wildlife Trade and Species Protection

Electric Vehicles

China’s Expanding Electric Bus Footprint in Central Asia

In recent years, there has been a visible increase in electric vehicle exports from China to Central Asia. Although much public attention goes to electric cars, the spread of Chinese electric buses across the region is equally meaningful. Kyrgyzstan provides a clear example of this trend, where manufacturers such as Yutong and Anhui Ankai Automobile have become important actors in the country’s effort to modernize its public transport system. Through the Asian Development Bank-funded Urban Transport Electrification Project, Kyrgyzstan purchased 120 battery electric buses from Anhui Ankai Automobile. A complementary initiative by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development under...

Water resources

Central Asian Countries Agree on 2026 Water Allocations from Amu Darya and Syr Darya

Central Asian states have reached an agreement on water allocations from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers for 2026. The decision was made during the 91st meeting of the Interstate Coordination Water Management Commission (ICWC), held in Ashgabat on November 13, 2025, according to Kun.uz. At the meeting, the countries agreed on how water resources will be managed during the 2025–2026 non-growing season, the period when agricultural demand is low. For the Amu Darya, the total allocation from October 2025 to October 2026 is set at approximately 55.4 billion cubic meters, with 15.9 billion cubic meters designated for the...

Environment

Kyrgyzstan Launches Environmental Strategy for Lake Issyk-Kul

On December 2, Kyrgyzstan’s Cabinet of Ministers approved the Concept for the Sustainable Development of the Ecological and Economic System of Lake Issyk-Kul until 2030, along with a corresponding Action Plan. The initiative aims to protect the lake and its surrounding biosphere from intensifying environmental and human pressures, while ensuring long-term economic resilience in the region. Located in northeastern Kyrgyzstan, Issyk-Kul is the country’s largest lake, a unique ecological reserve, and one of Central Asia’s main tourist destinations. However, the newly adopted Concept reflects growing concerns over environmental degradation and the urgent need for coordinated management. Based in part on...

Environment

Mirziyoyev Orders Crackdown on Pollution and Waste

Uzbekistan is intensifying its environmental oversight as President Shavkat Mirziyoyev convened a high-level government meeting on December 1 to address mounting pollution, delays in waste-to-energy infrastructure, and preparedness for the winter season. The session highlighted the rising social and economic risks of air-quality deterioration in Tashkent, and chronic failures in waste management nationwide. Officials attributed recent spikes in air pollution in the capital not only to industrial emissions and construction activity but also to a severe cold anticyclone blanketing much of the country. This weather system caused high atmospheric pressure and temperature inversions, trapping fine particulate matter and inhibiting air...