Kyrgyzstan

The government in Bishkek is grappling with a Soviet-era system that is no longer viable. The crisis particularly affects the medical profession, with numbers in constant decline: in 2022 there were 18.5 doctors per 10,000 inhabitants, today there are just 15, while in Kazakhstan, for example, there are 40. But the real problem is the lack of resources allocated to healthcare: just $86 per person per year.

According to data from the Kyrgyz Ministry of Labour, at the end of 2024 women accounted for 55% of the more than half a million Kyrgyz working abroad. But the Organisation for Migration denounces their greater exposure to job insecurity, violence and severe psychological pressure.

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.

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.

In June, MPs in Bishkek – in a decision kept secret for two months – decriminalised the offence of marrying multiple wives. When parliament reopened, President Žaparov referred the measure back for review, calling it humiliating. But polygamy remains a far from rare practice, with unions registered only in mosques, even by prominent figures.

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.

​With early parliamentary elections scheduled for 30 November, President Žaparov would like to hold a referendum on certain amendments to the Constitution, including the reintroduction of the death penalty for heinous crimes against women and children. The vote will take place according to new rules that reserve 30% of seats for female representation.

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.

The two million elderly people make up less than 30% of the country's population. One of the biggest difficulties they face is healthcare, which is very precarious at the public level. ‘Without our children, we would not be able to survive.’ And many today regret the Soviet era.

The case of a 15-year-old boy who died in Tajikistan as a result of “exemplary corporal punishment” inflicted by his father has reignited the spotlight on the issue of domestic violence. According to some data, 60% of children under the age of 14 in the country are victims of domestic violence. And despite the prohibitions introduced by law, the problem is exacerbated today by ‘demonstration videos’ sent to relatives or uploaded to social networks in search of social approval.

Of the five countries, only Turkmenistan is not a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), in keeping with its traditional international neutrality, but President Serdar Berdymukhamedov was nevertheless present at the parade in Beijing. Trade between the region and China grew by 5% last year and will soon exceed $100 billion. Russia is now forced to play a secondary role.