Central Asia News Bulletin

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Kyrgyz President Atambayev was released from prison and flew to Spain, while the Nazarbayev family's life-long immunity was revoked, a Moscow-led think tank attempted to rank Russia's neighboring countries in terms of friendliness, and the CSTO chief staff announced that the upcoming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

Kazakhstan approves non-proliferation deal with China; Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to cooperate on trade and industry; A new Chinatown project in Kabul /30.04.22

_{Image source: Global Times}

This week, the Kazakh Parliament approved nuclear non-proliferation agreement with China, China stated it opposes foreign interference in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan agreed on a strategic partnership in Trade and Industry, and the Afghan government approved the development of the Chinatown Industrial Park project in Kabul.

: 30 April 2022

Labor strike in Kazakhstan; Chinese academia examined; New bill could crack down on Kazkah internet freedom; Russia and Kazakhstan to build a new port /23.04.22

_{Image source: RFE/RL}

This week, a labor strike against a Chinese company occurred in Kazakhstan, demanding better pay, an article was published examining China's growing academic assertiveness, Kazakh parliament passed a law that would curb internet freedoms and could shut down social media platforms, and local Russian and Kazakh officials held talks about building a port on Irtysh river, which could provide access to China.

: 23 April 2022

Opium smuggler arrested in Afghanistan; Troubling water patterns in Central Asia; pro-Ukraine Activists detained in Kazakhstan; Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan to cooperate on logistics /15.04.2022

_{Image source: RFE/RL}

This week, Afghanistan security agents made the first arrests of opium smugglers since last week’s ban on trade and cultivation of poppy seeds, Two new papers were published pointing to the troubling water patterns in Central Asia, Four activists were detained for a pro-Ukraine protest in Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan sign an agreement to cooperate in logistics projects along the Trans-Caspian trade route.

: 15 April 2022

Central Asia's Weekly

Media Monitoring

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

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

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

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

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

Kazakhstan approves non-proliferation deal with China; Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to cooperate on trade and industry; A new Chinatown project in Kabul /30.04.22

Labor strike in Kazakhstan; Chinese academia examined; New bill could crack down on Kazkah internet freedom; Russia and Kazakhstan to build a new port /23.04.22

Opium smuggler arrested in Afghanistan; Troubling water patterns in Central Asia; pro-Ukraine Activists detained in Kazakhstan; Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan to cooperate on logistics /15.04.2022