The state is establishing specialised research institutes, funding research and restoring monuments from the era of the Ulus Džoči – the Tatar-Mongol period of its history, which was marginalised by former Soviet historiography. Meanwhile, neighbouring Uzbekistan has for decades been constructing a national historical narrative centred on Tamerlane.
The trade agreements signed at the White House on rare earths and other sectors seem to focus more on US economic interests than on geopolitical balances. And even the Kremlin, which in the past had shown some impatience with these contacts, this time expressed great acquiescence.
U.S. sanctions against the oil giant Lukoil are expected to have repercussions in Central Asia as well. The Russian company has announced plans to sell its foreign assets — a major issue for a country like Kazakhstan, which exports 80% of its oil through Russian infrastructure but cannot afford to lose access to Western banking systems.
The removal from a monument of the Russian word used to refer to the famine caused by Stalin in the 1930s with the forced abolition of small private farmers has sparked controversy. In present-day Kazakhstan, as in Ukraine, hunger killed millions of people. Behind the formal explanation of the “correction” lies the delicate balance in relations with Moscow.
New accusations against relatives of former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev raise the issue of the cult of personality surrounding local leaders. Azattyk Asia's analysis: “The sudden transformation of the fathers of the nation into figures to be forgotten reflects the very meaning of political loyalty in our region.” The cases of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
The new restrictions introduced by Beijing to control exports of precious minerals essential for sophisticated weapons and artificial intelligence applications raise the issue of deposits in Central Asia. Astana claims to have opened a new mining production line for over 20 million tonnes. But transport and infrastructure shortages make international investment uncertain and risky.
One of the consequences of rapid urbanisation is the proliferation of huge landfills in contexts where only a small percentage of waste is recycled. In Tajikistan alone, over 2 million tonnes of waste accumulate every year, occupying a total of over 300 hectares of land.
At the Dushanbe summit, discussions developed on the route that would directly connect Russia to India and Iran. Moscow is unable to offer Central Asia the large investments that China and Europe can, but it is trying to catch up in terms of transport and logistics infrastructure.
For the first time in several years, population growth in Kazakhstan is slowing down, and in more than half of the country's regions, especially in the north, the figures indicate a demographic decline. Even in one of the countries with the lowest population density in the world, 63.4% of people live in large cities.
Former ambassador to Moscow Eremek Košerbaev appointed as new foreign minister, with the aim of “recovering” relations with Russia after opening up to the West. The Kazakh ambassador to the United States, Eražan Ašikbaev, who was very close to the previous minister Murat Nurtleu, has also been dismissed. However, the decision was also influenced by the excessive number of assistants and advisers, which are to be cut as part of the fight against corruption.
At the session marking the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, all five heads of state emphasised in their speeches how this region, torn apart by border conflicts for centuries, is now one of the most peaceful in the world, with growing economic cooperation. There was also a common position on Afghanistan, calling for an end to its isolation through pragmatism without official recognition of the Taliban.
Perfect posture, white smile, smooth face paired with thick grey or shiny black hair: from Turkmenistan to Uzbekistan or Kazakhstan, heads of state always appear in perfect shape and full of vitality in official images. Some even use Photoshop to add a few centimetres so as not to look out of place next to Donald Trump's stature.
President Emomali Rakhmon recently awarded his daughter Ozoda the honorary title of ‘Exemplary Worker of Tajikistan’. This is yet another example of the habit of Central Asian satraps to generously bestow high honours, medals and awards of all kinds on members of their own families.
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