• KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00200 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09163 -0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00200 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09163 -0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00200 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09163 -0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00200 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09163 -0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00200 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09163 -0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00200 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09163 -0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00200 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09163 -0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00200 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09163 -0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0%
18 February 2025

Viewing results 1 - 6 of 72

First Kyrgyz-British Strategic Dialogue Meeting Held in London

The first meeting of the Kyrgyz-British Strategic Dialogue was held in London on February 13, co-chaired by Kyrgyz Deputy Foreign Minister Meder Abakirov and UK Minister of State for Europe, North America, and Overseas Territories Stephen Doughty. According to the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry, the meeting covered key areas of bilateral cooperation, including politics, security, trade, investment, finance, energy, sustainable development, culture, education, and tourism. Strengthening Bilateral Relations Abakirov emphasized the Strategic Dialogue as a new platform for deepening relations between the two countries. Meetings will be held regularly to advance cooperation. The first session focused on: Expanding trade and investment, attracting British investors to Kyrgyzstan, and increasing Kyrgyz exports to the UK. Enhancing education and scientific exchanges, including scholarship programs and digital education projects. Joint initiatives in the green economy, climate change, and sustainable development. UK-Kyrgyzstan Trade and Investment Growth The UK is a key economic partner for Kyrgyzstan. In 2024, total bilateral trade reached £144 million, a 73.5% increase from the previous year. Since June 2023, Kyrgyzstan has been part of the UK’s Developing Countries Trade Scheme (DCTS), which grants preferential or duty-free access to the UK market for around 8,000 Kyrgyz products. In December 2024, the UK Export Finance (UKEF) agency approved a £1.8 billion soft loan to support sectoral projects in Kyrgyzstan. The British government has also pledged funding for the development of Kyrgyzstan’s national strategy on critical minerals. This project is being carried out by Boston Consulting Group, which is also leading efforts to digitize Kyrgyzstan’s geological data, a move expected to attract further investment in the mining sector. Additionally, negotiations have begun with the London Stock Exchange to prepare Kyrgyz state-owned companies for initial public offerings (IPOs).

EU Sanctions Envoy’s Kazakh Visit Signals Rising Stakes

On January 30, David O’Sullivan, the European Union’s Special Envoy for Sanctions, made his fourth visit to Kazakhstan. Following the visit, he gave a briefing in Astana, where he discussed the new sanctions package, which could theoretically include Kazakh companies that assist Russia in circumventing restrictions. What O’Sullivan Said  According to O'Sullivan, only companies with indisputable evidence against them of involvement in violations will added to the sanctions list. “We are currently working on preparing a new, 16th package of sanctions. It is possible that Kazakh companies may be added to the list, but no decision has been made yet. We conduct a detailed analysis of companies, examine their trade relations, and review the goods they have previously traded. Of course, we prefer to work with governments to find a systematic solution rather than simply adding individual companies to the list. However, when there is no other option, we do add them,” O’Sullivan explained. The EU Sanctions Envoy reiterated that the EU remains one of Kazakhstan’s key economic partners, with mutual trade turnover reaching nearly 40 billion euros per annum. The EU accounts for 38% of Kazakhstan’s exports and 55 billion euros in direct foreign investments. Highlighting the importance of economic ties, O’Sullivan stated that the EU fully respects Kazakhstan’s position on sanctions, but urged authorities to take strict measures against third-party entities using the country’s trade channels. “We have concerns that unscrupulous actors may try to use Kazakhstan as a platform to circumvent our sanctions,” O’Sullivan warned, pointing to the import of high-tech goods such as microchips, sensors, and circuits, which have been found in Russian drones, missiles, and artillery shells. O'Sullivan noted that these goods, listed in an open “common high-priority list” of 50 codes, are not produced in Kazakhstan but are allegedly being re-exported from EU and G7 countries through Kazakh intermediaries. While they make up less than 1% of Kazakhstan’s total trade volume, O’Sullivan emphasized that these are “lethal products that kill innocent Ukrainian civilians.” The special envoy recalled that in 2024, the EU blacklisted two Kazakh companies and issued a warning that this list could be expanded. He noted that particular attention is being given to companies that emerged immediately after the invasion of Ukraine and the start of the new sanctions regime. “These are usually not well-established, well-known companies with a long history of trading. The fact that a company was created right after the invasion and the imposition of sanctions suggests that its sole purpose may be to evade sanctions,” he stated while stressing that merely registering after 2022 is not sufficient grounds for inclusion on the sanctions list. Strategically Important Central Asia Given the statistics cited by O’Sullivan, there was no pressing need for his fourth personal visit to Kazakhstan. The blacklisting of two Kazakh companies last year went largely unnoticed by the country’s general public. However, his visit highlights the mechanisms of international politics set in motion following Donald Trump’s return to the White House and the opening gambits of his administration,...

Japanese Musician Mashu Komazaki Named “Ambassador of Uzbek Culture”

Japanese singer and musician Mashu Komazaki has been awarded the title of “Ambassador of Uzbek Culture,” becoming the first Japanese citizen to receive this distinction, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Culture has announced. As an Ambassador of Uzbek Culture, Komazaki will work to promote Uzbekistan’s traditional music and arts in Japan. The Ministry of Culture has pledged full support for her activities, providing national costumes, musical instruments, and other cultural materials. Komazaki has a close connection to Uzbek music, having previously volunteered as a music teacher in Bukhara. She plays the dutor, a traditional Uzbek stringed instrument, and has performed at major cultural festivals in Uzbekistan. Speaking at the award ceremony, she expressed gratitude for the honor and shared her passion for introducing more Japanese audiences to Uzbek music. “When I perform Uzbek music, many in Japan tell me it creates a vivid image of a mysterious land along the Silk Road. Some even say they want to visit Uzbekistan because of the music,” she said. The “Ambassador of Uzbek Culture” title is part of a new initiative under a presidential resolution aimed at recognizing foreign citizens who actively promote Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage. Those granted the status receive cultural materials and may even be recommended for state awards based on their contributions. Komazaki plans to organize concerts and educational events in Japan to further showcase Uzbekistan’s rich musical traditions.

Russian Foreign Ministry Responds to Turkmen Displeasure Over ‘Second Turkmenbashi’ Article

The Russian Foreign Ministry has issued a statement following a controversial article in Nezavisimaya Gazeta that drew criticism from the Turkmen leadership. On January 12, the newspaper published an article titled "Neutrality Turned Out to Be an Excuse for Strengthening the Personality Cult of the 'Second Turkmenbashi.'" The piece compared former president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to his predecessor, Saparmurat Niyazov, who was the subject of a personality cult during his rule over Turkmenistan from 1985 to his death in 2006. Niyazov often called himself "Turkmenbashi" (father of the Turkmen). The Nezavisimaya Gazeta article quoted Arkady Dubnov, an expert on post-Soviet affairs, in relation to a meeting of the Organizing Committee for the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan's neutrality. During the event, Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov reportedly referred to Berdimuhamedov as the “father of the nation.” Dubnov, a critic of authoritarian regimes, remarked that the event symbolized “the birth of another father of the nation on the ruins of the USSR.” The article was subsequently removed from Nezavisimaya Gazeta's website, but not before it provoked discontent in Ashgabat. In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a clarification. In a statement on its official website, the ministry emphasized that "The assessments given in the article have nothing in common with the official position of Russia and do not reflect the high status of ties between our friendly countries." This incident highlights a pattern in which the Russian Foreign Ministry has distanced itself from media outlets over publications that anger foreign governments. Similar cases have occurred in the past, underscoring the delicate balancing act Moscow maintains with its partners in post-Soviet space.

Mirziyoyev Invites Trump to Visit Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has extended his congratulations to Donald Trump on his inauguration as the 47th President of the United States by inviting him to visit Uzbekistan. Mirziyoyev's press secretary, Sherzod Asadov, made the announcement. Republican candidate Donald Trump won the November 2024 U.S. presidential election and was sworn into office on January 20, 2025. In his congratulatory letter, Mirziyoyev expressed confidence that the United States, under Trump’s leadership, would continue to enhance its global influence and prestige. He commended the country’s economic strength and vital role in international affairs. The letter also highlighted Uzbekistan’s appreciation for the United States’ consistent support of its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Mirziyoyev voiced optimism for a new era of strategic partnership between the two nations during Trump’s presidency. He stressed the importance of deepening bilateral ties and expanding collaboration through bilateral and multilateral platforms. President Mirziyoyev also invited Trump to visit Uzbekistan, a gesture aimed at strengthening the relationship between the two countries. Mirziyoyev visited the United States in 2018 during Trump’s previous term as president. When the two leaders met at the White House, Trump remarked on Uzbekistan’s growing influence: “The authority of Uzbekistan is growing. It’s an honor for us to meet with you in the White House.” In addition to Uzbekistan, other Central Asian leaders congratulated Trump on his inauguration. Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev sent a telegram expressing confidence in the continued development of mutually beneficial cooperation between Kazakhstan and the United States, particularly concerning energy, nuclear non-proliferation, and international security.

Afghanistan as Part of Central Asia: Expectations, Reality, Challenges, and Threats

Afghanistan has increasingly been regarded in expert and journalistic circles as part of Central Asia, which is justifiable from a physical-geographical perspective. However, given current regional realities, it is still premature to classify the country as part of Central Asia in terms of being internationally recognized as such. The outcome of the 19th-century rivalry between the British and Russian Empires for influence in Central Asia, known as the "Great Game," not only established the modern southern borders of the region but also set Afghanistan and its northern neighbors on entirely different social and historical paths. The countries differ in value systems, ideologies, public consciousness, and, of course, economic development. At the same time, experts from the Russian Institute for Central Asian Studies note that "In the early 21st century, approaches to analyzing regional realities shifted towards geo-economics. The spatial dimension of Central Asia began to be seen as a zone for pipeline transit." This perspective is hard to argue against — Afghanistan’s current geopolitical interests and challenges are largely tied to the economic interests of countries at the regional level. This includes India, Iran, China, the UAE, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey, and the Central Asian states, for whom Afghanistan's prospects are evident. Chiefly, these prospects concern its transit potential as a territory connecting various parts of Asia. Four out of the six logistics corridors under the Asian Development Bank’s Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Program (CAREC) pass through Afghanistan into Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Other relevant projects include the "China–Pakistan Economic Corridor" under the "One Belt One Road" initiative, the "Trans-Afghan Corridor," and the TAPI Gas Pipeline. However, Afghanistan's current situation, particularly given the stagnant Afghan-Pakistani conflict, casts doubt on the feasibility of these and other major projects involving Afghanistan. As previously stated by TCA, the future of these large-scale projects involving Central Asian countries, as well as regional stability, a fundamental condition for steady economic development, depends directly on whether an understanding is reached between these two nations. Thus, a geo-economic approach to redefining Central Asia’s new boundaries still requires a different reality. Meanwhile, within Central Asia itself, there is little enthusiasm for political rapprochement with Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. The primary focus is on trade/economic and humanitarian cooperation, with no broader agenda, particularly at a regional level. Tajikistan’s position is significant here, as its authorities continue to view the Taliban as a threat and tread cautiously in building relations with them.  What Prevents Central Asian Countries from Accelerating Relations with Afghanistan? The answers lie not only in different developmental trajectories and scenarios. First and foremost, Afghanistan is still associated with "uncertainty" and numerous risks, particularly in terms of security. According to many assessments, the Afghan-Pakistani zone will, in the long term, remain a source of terrorist and religious-extremist threats to Central Asia. These conclusions are based on a retrospective analysis of escalating tensions, current processes in Afghanistan, and the geopolitical confrontation of global powers in the area. For example, the Soviet invasion in 1979 fostered the consolidation of the Afghan mujahideen,...