Central Asia
Great Gains or Great Game?: Global Engagement across Central Asia
Alexander Cooley in his book, Great Games Local Rules, describes a new great game where the post-soviet states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and...
21 March: Navroz, The Recurrent Renewal
May the soul flourish;May youth be as the new-grown grain Navroz, usually celebrated on 21 March in Iran and Central Asia, is the “New...
Astana 2017: contents and projects of the next International Exhibition
On 24 and 25 February Astana hosted the second Meeting of International Participants of “Future Energy” EXPO which will take place in the capital...
The TAPI Pipeline: The Politics of Energy Balancing
There is a new energy rush among many Greater Caspian states, one that continues to focus on breaking free of the heavy Russian influence...
Terrorist threat in Central Asia. One problem, different approaches
Terrorism and security have newly become one of the top priorities in post-Soviet Central Asia. States are discussing how to face the threat of...
Kazakhstan’s Snap Elections Called Amidst Dissent and Economic Troubles
Kazakhstan will be holding Parliamentary snap elections in March 2016 ultimately providing a mandate for autocratic President Nursultan Nazarbayev. The elections will not produce...
“Kazakhstan is intended to become a world hub for development of green power”
Last August, Mr. Akhmetzhan Yessimov, a man with a great economic and diplomatic experience and former Akim (Mayor) of Almaty, appointed Chairman of Astana...
Kazakhstan’s Urban Development Struggles with Mono-cities
As Kazakhstan strives to be one of the most 30 developed nations by 2050, Kazakhstan struggles with transforming its economic system, dealing with regional...
Hell’s Conduit: Trafficking through the Caspian
Tajikistan unfortunately has all of the pre-conditions that make trafficking in persons there a perfect opportunity for the growing trade of human commodities. The...
Confronting the Double-Edged Sword: Turkmenistan’s Collective Security Dilemma
In early July, naval delegations from Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Kazakhstan met in St. Petersburg to discuss the idea of a collective security system...