From Tajikistan to Kazakhstan, thousands of young people are currently studying at colleges and universities opened in recent years by Moscow, where teaching is conducted in Russian. The aim is to make a long-term investment in the new generation, who have no memory of the Soviet era and are increasingly exposed to Western and Chinese influences.
Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil facilities are also having repercussions in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, with rising prices, a shortage of aviation fuel and growing uncertainty over energy security. Meanwhile, Moscow is seeking supplies from Kazakhstan, which has restricted exports to protect its domestic market.
In Tajikistan, heatwaves with temperatures consistently above 40 degrees in summer are taking their toll on 2.5 million children, who are particularly vulnerable to water shortages. Almost a third of the country’s population is under 15 years of age; according to scientists’ data, they will have to cope with increasingly extreme temperatures throughout their lives.
EU Special Representative Stiprais is calling for an update to cooperation policies that takes account of the increasingly close ties between the countries in the region, which have been highlighted by Kyrgyzstan’s election to the UN Security Council. The “shared” Kambarata hydroelectric power station and the local satellite internet connection system are the flagship projects.
Even during the Soviet era, the region had a unified energy system linking Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Today, the idea of an electricity grid that optimises infrastructure is gaining traction again, given that energy demand in the region could rise by around 40 per cent by 2030.
In Uzbekistan, approximately 107 boys are born for every 100 girls; in Tajikistan, the figure is as high as 110. This imbalance cannot be explained by natural causes and must be attributed to the practice of abortion when prenatal tests reveal that the foetus is female. This sex selection not only reflects gender discrimination but also entails serious social risks.
The Sogdiana Historical Museum has survived relocations, reconstructions and political upheavals, and has literally saved thousands of artefacts from Tajik history and culture from being scattered amongst private homes or sold in bazaars. Today, it is no longer just an exhibition space but also an educational centre.
Despite a ban under Islamic law and doctrine, amulets and exorcism performed by mullahs or shaman are widespread in Tajikistan. According to a well-known legend, 40 inseparable spirits rule the world, believed to be able to ward off all human misfortunes.
The Tajik president’s trip has confirmed just how strategic a region Central Asia is for China today, a strategic importance made all the more vital by the various geopolitical fault lines. Beijing is banking on the gas pipeline running through the region, but also on its significance for the security of its own borders. And in relations with local governments, its proximity – not just geographical – gives it an advantage over its Western rivals.
Capital Day provided an opportunity to celebrate the efforts that, during the years of the terrible Stalinist dictatorship, made it possible to build one of Central Asia’s most beautiful cities on a desert plateau. Today, its modern buildings project it into the future.
Crossing mountain passes at altitudes of up to 3,000 metres and travelling hundreds of kilometres with their flocks, the čabany keep alive a tradition that produces a type of sheep meat of the highest quality. A hard life, exposed to the unscrupulous exploitation of the owners of the pastures, yet underpinned by a solid unwritten code of solidarity and a profound harmony with nature.
Archaeological excavations in the Zeravshan Valley, which began in the 1930s, continue to this day, yielding new discoveries about the rich world of this ancient people, who made a significant contribution to world culture.
The fact that it coincided with the end of Ramadan provided an opportunity this year to reflect on the national festival as a “bridge between different eras”, linking back to the origins of the Iranian-Turanian civilisation. In the face of hostility from Salafi preachers who regard it as a pagan ritual, Dushanbe recalls that the Arab caliphs themselves rediscovered the value of local traditions.
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