Central Asia

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.

The President of Kazakhstan claims to have brought about a “great change” in the country's politics and society. And although the former president's clan remains a sort of shadow power, the Astana government continually reports the recovery of assets they took abroad. But according to sociologists Bejsembaev and Tlegenova, there has been no division of powers and the country is ruled by a new generation of autocracy.

In Tajikistan, human rights groups accuse the Tajik government of grave abuses in its crackdown against protests in the Gorno-Badakshan Autonomous Region. They point to the deaths of four jailed activists in recent months. Prisoners in the rebel region are reportedly subjected to systematic torture to obtain forced confessions or information to indict other activists who have fled abroad.

At the president's request, the Ministry of Culture has released a “set of moral standards” to guide the behaviour of citizens and youth. Key concepts include respect for state symbols and historical heritage, tolerance, and the rejection of any expression of hatred. The heroes of the epic Manas trilogy are held up as role models, while five texts have been proposed for the new national anthem.

The exhibition opened in early August with the blessing of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow. It was organised by the Sovereign Order of Malta and the charity foundation Kirche im Not. Minister Balaeva: ‘A testimony to the spiritual growth of humanity as a whole.’ A unique relic that has attracted interest since ancient times.

It is increasingly difficult for residents to move, with central streets cleared waiting for the motorcades to pass, while cars are lined up in columns on the side streets. Citizens are forced to walk in the scorching heat. In Tashkent, the ‘clean-up’ of the city center can take ‘extreme’ forms, with armored vehicles opening fire on cars that block the way.

The five countries in the region are increasing their purchases of these devices, which are increasingly used in conflicts, from Turkey, China, Russia, and Iran, and are opening their own production lines in agreement with foreign partners. Suspicions of triangulation that would allow Russia to be supplied while circumventing sanctions.

Since the beginning of July, all refugees who fled the Taliban regime in 2021 have been receiving text messages ordering them to leave Tajikistan within 15 days. Those living in the country legally and many former collaborators of the pro-Western government in Kabul are also targeted. There are reports of men, women and children being loaded onto small buses. This crackdown comes on top of others already in place against Afghan exiles in Pakistan and Iran.

Over the last five years, enrolment numbers have halved, while Uzbekistan's state universities continue to lose ground to private and foreign institutions. Only enrolment fees continue to rise.

Although it has not yet achieved full political recognition from Moscow, Kazakhstan has signed an agreement with the Taliban for an important railway line. Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan are also promoting agreements with Beijing's blessing. The only exception remains Tajikistan, where the issue of discrimination against the Tajik minority in Afghanistan still weighs heavily.

A competition promoted by the respective broadcasters chose the most representative athletes from each of the five countries. From the judoka rejected by the Russians who climbed onto the podium at the Olympics for Tajikistan to the Uzbek footballer who plays in the Premier League and led his national team to World Cup qualification. And the Kazakh who discovered he was a marathon runner after an illness.

Visits to local administrations by the head of the Bishkek security services, Kamchybek Tašiev, have ended in sensational arrests. The senior official describes the fight against corruption as “a mission received from President Žaparov”. But there are those who doubt the effectiveness of this “clean-up campaign” if, in a country like Kyrgyzstan, procedures are not radically changed to make them transparent, effective and digitised.