Central Asia

Tokayev not concerned about his predecessor's meetings with Putin

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 15:58:17 +0000

Tokayev not concerned about his predecessor's meetings with Putin

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev commented on the meetings of his predecessor, Nursultan Nazarbayev, with Russian President Vladimir Putin.<

dennis2020 Mon, 01/05/2026 - 16:58

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Putin remains focused on "near abroad". The Russian leader will meet the leaders of CIS countries in St Petersburg next week

Sat, 20 Dec 2025 09:55:50 +0000

Putin remains focused on "near abroad". The Russian leader will meet the leaders of CIS countries in St Petersburg next week

Russian President Vladimir Putin remains focused on the "near abroad". Tomorrow and on Monday (21-22 December) Putin will attend a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council and an informal meeting of CIS leaders in St. Petersburg. The Kremlin press service reported that during the EAEU meeting, the leaders plan to discuss current issues related to the EAEU's activities, outline guidelines for further deepening integration processes and developing the Union's single market, and approve a number of significant documents and decisions. Furthermore, at Vladimir Putin's initiative, the traditional informal meeting of the leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States will take place in St. Petersburg on December 22. The Russian President will also hold bilateral discussions with the leaders of a number of countries.

dennis2020 Sat, 12/20/2025 - 10:55

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For the countries of Central Asia, Afghanistan remains a key issue

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 08:45:58 +0000

For the countries of Central Asia, Afghanistan remains a key issue

Whilst the countries of Central Asia continue the process of intensifying their external contacts, and developing their international relations, Afghanistan remains a cause of concern.

dennis2020 Fri, 12/19/2025 - 09:45

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Turkmenistan celebrates 30 years of neutrality

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 08:29:22 +0000

Turkmenistan celebrates 30 years of neutrality

Last week, Turkmenistan celebrated the 30th anniversary that marks the UN decision granting Turkmenistan the status of a permanently neutral country. The anniversary is in sync with Turkmenistan’s 2025 “Year of Peace and Trust” initiative, which looks to advance sustainable development through partnerships and connectivity. The initiative is supported by a UN General Assembly resolution and is in line with the UN Secretary General’s “New Agenda for Peace” objectives.

dennis2020 Fri, 12/19/2025 - 09:29

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Opinion: The European Union must recognise that the C5 have now become the C6

Sat, 06 Dec 2025 11:50:14 +0000

Opinion: The European Union must recognise that the C5 have now become the C6

In recent years, Eurasia has undergone a structural transformation in how regions connect, trade, and cooperate. The combination of geopolitical shocks, disrupted supply chains, and the search for secure east–west routes has elevated the importance of the Trans-Caspian space. The states of Central Asia, once constrained by geography, have taken unprecedented steps to strengthen regional coordination, modernize infrastructure, and integrate more closely with Europe. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan has rapidly emerged as an indispensable connector linking Central Asia with the South Caucasus, Türkiye, and European markets. This new reality was formally acknowledged in November 2025 when Azerbaijan was unanimously welcomed as a full participant in the Consultative Meeting of Central Asian Heads of State in Tashkent. What had long been a C5 grouping transformed into a C6, marking a historic moment: the Caspian was no longer a frontier separating two regions but the center of a unified geopolitical and geo-economic space. President Ilham Aliyev described this alignment as the emergence of “a single geopolitical and geo-economic region,” while President Shavkat Mirziyoyev called Azerbaijan’s inclusion “historic” and proposed transforming the consultative platform into a structured regional institution capable of shaping security, economic, environmental, and digital policy. The Caspian is no longer a boundary; it is the heart of an integrated region. The transformation of the EU and U.S. C5+1 formats into C6+1 is the logical next step to ensure that both sides of the Caspian advance together – coherently, strategically, and with shared purpose. (click the image to read the full op-ed).

dennis2020 Sat, 12/06/2025 - 12:50

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Central Asian leaders meet in Tashkent this weekend for their 7th Consultative Meeting. Azerbaijan participates for the third year as guest

Sat, 15 Nov 2025 10:06:28 +0000

Central Asian leaders meet in Tashkent this weekend for their 7th Consultative Meeting. Azerbaijan participates for the third year as guest

Central Asian leaders will gather in Tashkent this weekend for the Seventh Consultative Meeting of Heads of State, with plans to adopt a package of multilateral agreements to deepen regional cooperation. The summit brings together the leaders of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, with Azerbaijan participating as a guest of honour for the third consecutive year. The leaders will discuss ways to advance joint projects in priority sectors and exchange views on key regional and international issues, as outlined in the agenda. The consultative meeting format originated from Mirziyoyev's initiative announced at the UN General Assembly in 2017, proposing regular high-level consultations among Central Asian states. The inaugural meeting took place in Astana in 2018. Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev told the Uzbekistan press agency the meeting will be "a significant stage in fostering the centuries-old friendship between our brotherly peoples and expanding multi-level cooperation in the political, economic, transport, investment, energy, cultural and humanitarian spheres, and in the field of digital transformation." He noted that over the past three years, Central Asian heads of state have made nearly 30 visits to Azerbaijan, while he has visited the countries 13 times. Azerbaijan's engagement strengthens regional connectivity, particularly through the Middle Corridor linking Central Asia with Europe.

dennis2020 Sat, 11/15/2025 - 11:06

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Rubio plans to visit all five Central Asian countries as Trump hosts their leaders in Washington

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 05:58:09 +0000

Rubio plans to visit all five Central Asian countries as Trump hosts their leaders in Washington

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday 5th November that he planned to visit the five Central Asian countries in the coming year, as he met their foreign ministers as part of a Trump administration charm offensive aimed at the resource-rich region. The presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are set to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington on 6th November for talks that are likely to include discussions of rare earths minerals and other resources in the Central Asian nations.

Robert Micallef Thu, 11/06/2025 - 06:58

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China’s Role in Uzbekistan’s Waste-to-Energy Development

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 09:43:06 +0000

China’s Role in Uzbekistan’s Waste-to-Energy Development

China’s engagement in Central Asia is entering a new phase. Instead of focusing mainly on roads, railways, and pipelines, Beijing is now investing in environmental infrastructure, especially waste management and renewable energy projects. Uzbekistan has become the centre of this shift, as its growing economy faces mounting waste and pollution challenges.

Maximiliaan va… Fri, 10/24/2025 - 11:43

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What happened to the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) natural gas pipeline?

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 09:40:32 +0000

What happened to the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) natural gas pipeline?

The idea of the TAPI pipeline, designed to transport gas from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan to Pakistan and India, has been around for approximately 30 years. However, in practice, little progress has been made.

Maximiliaan va… Fri, 10/24/2025 - 11:40

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Azerbaijan Calls for Deeper Cooperation within the Organization of Turkic States

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 11:17:30 +0000

Azerbaijan Calls for Deeper Cooperation within the Organization of Turkic States

The 12th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), held on 7 October 2025 in Gabala, Azerbaijan, marked a decisive stage in the evolution of integration within the Turkic world. Under the theme “Regional Peace and Security,” the summit, chaired by President Ilham Aliyev, brought together leaders from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, and observer states Hungary, Turkmenistan, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Gabala’s historical symbolism as a crossroads of the Caucasus and Central Asia reflected the OTS’s broader vision of unity, connectivity, and shared destiny.

Robert Micallef Thu, 10/16/2025 - 13:17

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