Central Asia News Bulletin

Central Asia observes March 8th, Kyrgyzstan campaigns for HPV vaccination for girls, Rail transport through Kazakhstan increased, and Uzbekistan gears up for yet another referendum. /11.03.23

_{IWD March in Bishkek. Credit: Yumi Toboe, for CCASC}

This past week, the Silk Road Briefing explored the prospects for Railway Transit in Kazakhstan, while women from different cities of Central Asia took to the street to observe March 8th. Eurasianet detailed the vaccination campaign against HPV in Kyrgyzstan that started in 2017, and the date and content of Uzbekistan's next referendum are now known, as participants of the Karakalpakstan's unrest face up to 12 years in prison.

: 11 March 2023

Antony Blinken visits Central Asia, C5+1 hold a meeting; Russia eyes gas deal with Turkmenistan; Astana LRT received yet another US$100 million extra budget; Popstar in Uzbekistan faces a backlash from conservative authorities. /05.03.23

_{Astana LRT. Image source: Qaz Monitor}

This past week, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken participated in bilateral meetings with Kazakh and Uzbek officials, as well as C5+1 meetings gathering representatives from all Central Asian states. Meanwhile, Russia tried to secure Turkmenistan's cooperation in gas exportation, and another hundred million dollars were allocated to the light rail transit system in Astana, while in Uzbekistan, teenagers and pop stars got scolded for “immoral behavior”.

: 05 March 2023

Japarov meets all former Kyrgyz presidents, causing domestic controversy, More Kazakh Journalists are attacked as Parliamentary elections draw near, and Central Asia’s position at the UNGA on the war in Ukraine remains unchanged. /26.02.23

_{Painting by Taalaibek Usubaliev of the former and current Kyrgyz presidents. Image source: Eurasianet}

This past week, Kyrgyz President Japarov divided the country's public opinion with a controversial meeting; more assaults were reported against Kazakh journalists ahead of the upcoming elections, while government officials vowed not to repeat the recent gas shortages, a helpful analysis of Uzbekistan's potentials and efforts toward a green economy was published; and very little change was seen at the UN General Assembly, a year into the war in Ukraine.

: 26 February 2023

Ex-President Atambayev released from jail, leaves Kyrgyzstan; Nazarbayev family lose life-long immunity; CSTO schedules a drill in Kyrgyzstan; UN calls for release of Uzbek blogger. /19.02.23

_{Kyrgyz Servicemen take part in CSTO Military Drills Sep 2021. Image source: Reuters}

This past week, former Kyrgyz President Atambayev was released from prison and flew to Spain, while the Nazarbayev family's life-long immunity was revoked, a Moscow-led think tank attempted to rank Russia's neighboring countries in terms of friendliness, and the CSTO chief staff announced that the upcoming military exercises will be held in Kyrgyzstan. Elsewhere, the EIB's declarations shed light on its Central Asian strategy, and the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention called for the immediate release of an Uzbek blogger.

: 19 February 2023

Kazakh company cuts iron export to Russia; Tajikistan hopes a transit hub will develop economy; Uzbekistan restarts gas exports to China. /28.05.22

_{Image source: Sputnik News}

This past week, a Kazakh company cut iron exports to Russian steel manufacturers, Tajikistan proposed a network of roads and rails to create a transit hub in the country, Uzbekistan restarted gas exports to China, maintaining that it is still going to phase them out by 2025, and an analytical piece on Russia-China relations highlighted points of partnership and rivalry between the two great powers.

: 28 May 2022

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's anti-terror summit held in India; Kyrgyz miners go on strike; Kazakhstan to produce Turkish drones; Nine killed after clash in Tajik border province. /21.05.22

_{Image source: Eurasianet}

This past week, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's specialists held an anti-terror summit in New Delhi, India, to discuss the worsening situation in Afghanistan, while Kyrgyz gold miners went on strike in a Chinese-owned mine, demanding better wages, Kazakhstan granted a license for production of Turkish drones, and a number of militants and a security officer were killed in a Tajik border province after the militants attacked a government convoy.

: 21 May 2022

Kazakh President visits Turkey; Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan discuss bilateral cooperation; Protestors get jailed in Kazakhstan; Xinjiang-solidarity group launches political party. /14.05.22

_{Image source: Anadolu Agency}

This past week, the President of Kazakhstan visited Turkey to discuss bilateral trade, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan made plans for manufacturing coordination and supply chain management along their shared trade route to Europe, activists in Kazakhstan were jailed for an ‘unsanctioned’ rally demanding the release of political prisoners, and an activist group in Kazakhstan announces the launch of a political party that seeks to aid Kazakhs in Xinjiang.

: 14 May 2022

Iran, Turkmenistan to increase bilateral trade; Kazakhstan passes controversial law; CSTO to hold military drills in October; Press freedom reportedly down in Central Asia /07.05.22

_{Image source: Silk Road Briefing}

This past week, the Presidents of Iran and Turkmenistan met to discuss increasing bilateral trade and cooperation, Kazakhstan's President signed a law that, according to critics, is likely to be used against dissidents, Russia-led CSTO announced that it will hold military drills in Kazakhstan in October, and Freedom of the Press was reported to have been declining in 2022 in Central Asian countries.

: 07 May 2022

CCASC

Media Monitoring