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Official Visit

Tokayev to Visit Kyrgyzstan for High-Level Talks on Aug. 21–22

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is due in Kyrgyzstan for an official visit at the invitation of President Sadyr Japarov, with the main program set in Bishkek. An announcement, carried by state media, confirmed the trip and outlined that talks would take place on deepening political and economic ties. Local authorities have introduced traffic restrictions for Aug. 21–22, indicating a two-day schedule including protocol events and bilateral meetings. The leaders are expected to review cooperation across trade, transit, and energy, and to convene the Supreme Interstate Council, the highest bilateral forum, to sign documents prepared by their foreign ministries in recent weeks. Diplomatic sources say deliverables could include measures to ease border procedures and timelines for joint infrastructure projects. A Busier, More Formalized Partnership Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have intensified engagement through 2024–2025 with frequent ministerial contacts, new investment pledges, and coordination on water-energy policy. In early August, the countries’ foreign ministers initiated a 2025–2027 cooperation plan for presidential approval at the upcoming summit. Energy is central: the governments, together with Uzbekistan and international partners, have advanced groundwork on the Kambarata-1 hydropower plant, a flagship project intended to expand clean generation and regulate seasonal flows in the Syr Darya basin. Economically, both states are members of the Eurasian Economic Union, giving their businesses a shared customs space and labor mobility framework — a recurring theme when leaders meet to resolve practical bottlenecks in border trade and logistics. Business groups on both sides are also pushing for upgrades to road and rail crossings and for the expanded use of digital customs tools. Tokayev’s program is expected to include a formal meeting with President Japarov, a session of the Supreme Interstate Council, and a signing ceremony. While detailed communiqués typically follow the talks, officials in Bishkek and Astana have signaled that this visit aims to translate recent preparatory work into specific targets on trade, transport, and energy, setting the tone for the next phase of Kazakh–Kyrgyz relations.

EAEU

Has Kyrgyzstan Benefited From Its Membership of the EAEU?

On the sunlit shores of Lake Issyk-Kul this August, Kyrgyzstan played host to leaders from across the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). On August 14-15, officials from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia descended on the resort town of Cholpon-Ata for a meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, accompanied by ceremonies to mark a decade since Kyrgyzstan joined the Moscow-led economic bloc. The Kyrgyz government issued a commemorative stamp to celebrate the anniversary, while the guest of honor, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, arrived with pledges of deeper integration. Rosatom, Moscow’s nuclear agency, signed agreements to build Kyrgyzstan’s first wind farm near Issyk-Kul, while the union’s five governments also agreed to recognize each other’s digital documents, and talks continued on a long-awaited gas union. Mishustin also caused a stir on social media by addressing the Kyrgyz honor guard in their own language. The words “Salam Asker” (hello, soldiers) were enough to draw appreciation from a Kyrgyz society unused to hearing Russian politicians use any language but Russian in its former colonies. The flattery was all part of the choreography: in return, Kyrgyz government officials and state media fell in line to proclaim the benefits of EAEU membership. But have these benefits been worth it? Or has the EAEU merely tethered Bishkek to a partner whose grip is more suffocating than supportive? [caption id="attachment_35121" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] The Conference Hall at Cholpon-Ata, where the council meeting took place; image: Joe Luc Barnes[/caption] The Case for the Union Kyrgyz officials are keen to emphasize the upsides. In an interview with state mouthpiece Slovo.kg, former economic minister Arzybek Kozhoshev said that joining the bloc had eased conditions for Kyrgyz migrant laborers in Russia and Kazakhstan. “With the accession of the Kyrgyz Republic to the EAEU, the conditions of stay and work of citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic in other EAEU countries have changed significantly,” Kozhoshev said, highlighting simplified entry, no requirement to take a Russian language exam, equal access to health insurance, and even the right to draw pensions on par with local workers. For a country where remittances have accounted for around 25% GDP over the past decade, these measures are not insignificant. Kyrgyz drivers, once barred from operating commercial vehicles in Russia, now enjoy full rights. Digital labor platforms like Work Without Borders make it easier to find jobs, and migrant workers in Russia pay the same flat 13% tax as local workers. In short, for the hundreds of thousands of Kyrgyz toiling in Moscow, Novosibirsk, and Almaty, the EAEU has meant fewer hurdles and more predictability. It’s worth bearing in mind that other potential labor destinations, such as Korea, the United States, or the European Union, are not handing out hundreds of thousands of visas to Kyrgyz citizens every year. Kremlin officials have also stressed that Kyrgyzstan pays lower tariffs on Russian gas – only $150 per 1,000 cubic meters, due to its EAEU membership. That said, given Russia’s current oversupply of gas with the closure of the European market, this is not...

Bilateral Cooperation

Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan Aim to Boost Trade and Economic Ties

Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan have agreed to open trading houses in each other’s countries as part of a broader effort to deepen bilateral trade and economic cooperation. The agreement was reached on August 13 during the visit of an Afghan delegation to Bishkek, led by Nooruddin Azizi, Acting Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Azizi met with the Kyrgyz Minister of Economy and Commerce, Bakyt Sydykov. The two ministers signed a roadmap for future cooperation, along with a memorandum of understanding focused on enhancing trade and economic ties. Sydykov described the visit as a significant step toward strengthening bilateral relations and highlighted Kyrgyzstan’s interest in exploring new, mutually beneficial areas of cooperation. He noted that the two countries hold considerable potential for expanding trade. Discussions also touched on digitalization, with the Kyrgyz side offering to share its experience in the sector with Afghan partners. According to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the two countries recorded $66 million in bilateral trade during the last solar year (March 2024-March 2025), with Afghan exports accounting for $7 million of that figure. Key Afghan exports to Kyrgyzstan include aluminum and copper utensils, pressure cookers, carpets, fruits, and vegetables. In January-February 2025 alone, Kyrgyzstan exported $11.5 million worth of petroleum products to Afghanistan, according to Kyrgyz media. Trade between the two countries has seen an uptick following Kyrgyzstan’s September 2024 decision to remove the Taliban from its list of prohibited organizations. The Kyrgyz Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the move was aimed at promoting regional stability and fostering constructive dialogue. On September 6, 2024, then-Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Akylbek Japarov met with Afghanistan’s Chargé d’Affaires in Kyrgyzstan, Nurullah Amin, to discuss ways to advance bilateral relations. The Kyrgyz side expressed interest in enhancing trade and transport links, jointly developing Afghan mineral resources, and cooperating in energy, industry, and agriculture.

Coal

EU Grants Kazakhstan Exemption to Transit Coal Through Sanctioned Russian Ports

The European Union has granted Kazakhstan an exemption permitting the transit of Kazakh coal through select Russian ports previously restricted under EU sanctions. The decision, included in the EU’s 18th package of sanctions, aims to secure Kazakhstan’s coal exports to Europe. The exemption follows months of negotiations led by the Ministry of Trade and Integration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Kazakhstan’s Permanent Mission to the EU. The talks were prompted by sanctions introduced in February 2024 under the 16th EU sanctions package, which included a ban on transactions with Ust-Luga port, one of the main routes for Kazakh coal shipments to the EU. “To resolve the situation, work was carried out at various levels and an official request was sent to the European Commission asking for changes to the sanctions regime,” the ministry stated. “As a result, the 18th package of EU sanctions contains amendments allowing transactions with a number of Russian ports for the transit of coal of Kazakh origin.” Conditions of the Exemption The exemption is conditional and tightly regulated: Only coal of Kazakh origin may be transited; Ownership of the cargo must not involve entities from countries under EU sanctions, including Russia and Belarus; The designated Russian ports may be used solely for transit purposes, specifically loading and dispatch, without any procurement or production activities on site. Trade Impact Kazakhstan remains a key coal supplier to the European market. In 2022, it exported 4.4 million tons of coal to the EU, generating $419.2 million, representing 45% of total coal exports. Although volume increased to 6.1 million tons in 2023 (54.3%), falling global prices reduced revenue to $382 million. In 2024, exports declined to 5.2 million tons worth $312.5 million (51.8%). During the first five months of 2025, Kazakhstan exported 1.6 million tons to the EU, generating $82.9 million and accounting for 38.5% of total coal exports over that period. “Despite the temporary decline in indicators, the measures taken are creating conditions for the restoration of export flows and increased stability of logistics routes,” the ministry said. “Kazakhstan will continue to work to protect trade interests, support national exports, and strengthen economic ties with key partners.” As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, domestic coal consumption in Kazakhstan is expected to decrease due to government plans to phase out pilot coal-fired power plants in favor of renewable energy and low-carbon technologies, including gas.

Organization of Turkic States

The Turkic States Are Quietly Building a Geoeconomic Power Base

The Organization of Turkic States (OTS) has spent the past years assembling itself not through declarations or summit communiqués, but through shared transport and logistics, harmonized customs procedures, and coordinated capital flows. What began in 2009 as the Turkic Council, a lightly institutional and rhetorically cohesive forum for shared identity, has evolved, following its 2021 transformation into the OTS, into a logistical and regulatory organism. Its under-the-radar evolution has been systematized through agreed documents, deployed capital, and materialized infrastructure. The OTS has entered a phase of procedural coordination and structural intent. Its cooperation is now practical, strategic, and functionally embedded. This evolution has not followed a single arc, nor has it merely responded to outside pressures. Instead, it has progressed through an uneven sequence of internal adjustments, sometimes slow and technical, sometimes accelerated by external jolts such as the recent disruption in Azerbaijani–Russian relations. But such jolts only intensified a trajectory already underway. Member states had been converging long before this most recent bilateral crisis by aligning their policies, testing instruments, and developing the practical grammar of multilateral coordination. The current phase of renewed cooperation is not a reactive surge but a prepared transition that expresses an underlying structural shift in Eurasian geoeconomics at large. Digital Infrastructure and Networked Cooperation If there is a single domain where institutional convergence becomes immediately visible, this would be digital logistics. Once-fractured national processes — disjointed customs systems, mismatched permits, bureaucratic duplication — have begun to fold into a shared administrative architecture (including eTIR, eCMR, and ePermit) structured by international conventions that have been adapted to fit the particular alignments now emerging in the Turkic sphere. These procedures are no longer pilot projects but live systems. They digitize paperwork, synchronize border procedures, and build the kind of operational rhythms that trade corridors need in order to function. Negotiations continue, meanwhile, on a Free Trade in Services Agreement, targeted not at deregulation but at harmonization, viz., the alignment of technical and professional standards across a disparate set of economies. Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, for example, are already piloting a Simplified Customs Corridor. Its eventual integration with the multimodal Uzbekistan–Türkiye axis is not a matter of if, but of how soon. Official observer states to the OTS are also beginning to move, with Hungary being the clearest case. Its $100 million injection into the Turkic Investment Fund made headlines, but the real story is downstream: Hungarian infrastructure now receives Azerbaijani gas via Türkiye. That is not diplomacy; that is energy dependence, structurally routed. Turkmenistan, long the holdout, has started to engage, first through planning meetings and now through signed agreements. Its ports, once idle in regional plans, are being fitted into the wider Caspian logistics network. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), formally recognized only by Türkiye, is also a functional participant through educational exchanges, shared language, and soft institutions. Reciprocal Trade and Development The shift underway is as much geographic as it is institutional. Central Asia is no longer on the margins of the OTS...

State Visit

Opinion: Mirziyoyev’s Historic Visit Opens New Era for Uzbekistan-Mongolia Ties

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev embarked on a historic journey to Mongolia on June 24-25, marking a significant milestone in the relationship between the two nations. This landmark visit, the first of its kind in over thirty years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, signifies a new era of collaboration and potential growth in Central Asia. Accompanied by his wife, Mirziyoyev was warmly received in Ulaanbaatar by Mongolian Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg and a host of other dignitaries. Their arrival set the stage for discussions aimed at unlocking vast opportunities for multifaceted cooperation and development, reflecting a shared vision for a prosperous future. Despite the significant geographical distance that separates Uzbekistan and Mongolia, the two nations are witnessing a remarkable evolution in their bilateral relations. This burgeoning partnership spans several domains, including diplomacy, economics, transportation, culture, and humanitarian efforts. A pivotal moment in this relationship was marked by the recent inauguration of the Mongolian Embassy in Tashkent, which symbolizes a commitment to fostering closer ties. Additionally, the increased frequency of intergovernmental and interparliamentary dialogue reflects a shared ambition to enhance collaboration. The signing of 14 bilateral agreements further underscores a mutual desire to cultivate trust and strengthen the partnership, paving the way for a promising future. In recent years, the partnership between Uzbekistan and Mongolia has experienced a remarkable surge in trade and investment. This dynamic growth is underpinned by a robust and multifaceted cooperation that spans numerous sectors, showcasing the commitment of both nations to strengthening ties. Between 2018 and 2023, trade between Uzbekistan and Mongolia experienced a significant increase, rising by more than 8.8 times. This impressive upward trajectory has continued into the early months of 2025, with preliminary data indicating a sustained expansion. Uzbekistan exports a variety of goods to Mongolia, including vital agricultural and industrial products, while Mongolia has ramped up its livestock exports, enriching the trading landscape. The establishment of numerous joint ventures exemplifies, with many ventures operating in Uzbekistan featuring 100% Mongolian capital, primarily in the realms of trade and services. Both nations are actively identifying and pursuing opportunities for collaborative projects in critical areas, including logistics, agro-processing, and machinery manufacturing. A particular emphasis is placed on joint production initiatives in sectors such as leather, wool, and cashmere processing, as well as the fabrication of electrical equipment, machinery, and construction materials. Agricultural cooperation is also a key focus, with plans for joint clusters and projects aimed at the processing and production of meat, dairy, wool, and leather products. Enhancing transport interconnectivity and developing innovative logistics routes are prioritized, with a direct air service between the capitals anticipated to be in place by the end of the year. Cultural and humanitarian exchanges are being fostered through initiatives such as the Days of Uzbek Culture, which take place in Ulaanbaatar, and the return of Mongolian students to Uzbek universities. The recent meeting between the President of Uzbekistan and the President of Mongolia, Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, marked a significant step toward enhancing bilateral cooperation. Both leaders engaged in productive...