Kazakhstan

At the meeting of the assembly comprising the parliaments of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey, Astana put forward the idea of developing a framework to create a digital network and a joint artificial intelligence centre amongst the four countries linked by linguistic and cultural affinities.

In Berlin, the President of Kazakhstan once again praised the Kremlin leader, describing him as an “exceptional statesman”. These words are likely intended to appease Moscow whilst he pursues his ongoing efforts to strengthen relations with the European Union and the United States, as well as with China.

According to the OECD’s plenary session on fundamental freedoms, repression is taking on new forms in all five countries in the region, extending increasingly into the digital sphere and beyond national borders.

The combined GDP of the region’s five countries has grown by almost 2.5 times over the last eight years, whilst mutual investment has increased 5.6-fold. But even beyond the economic sphere, questions are mounting as to what unites these peoples, what they can achieve together in the face of today’s challenges, and what kind of future they envisage.

The forum held in Seoul offered the five countries in the region not only access to high-tech products, but also opportunities to overcome the limitations of their economies. For its part, South Korea is looking not only at reserves of critical minerals but also at the Trans-Caspian corridor. The volume of investment has already risen to 20 billion dollars.

The results of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) show that countries in the region have scores significantly below the average. Progress in Uzbekistan in science subjects, a setback in mathematics in Kazakhstan

The water level of the Caspian Sea has been falling since the mid-1990s and reached a historic low in 2025, dropping by 29 meters. The problem is having a negative impact on navigation, necessitating repairs to canals and piers in Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, new islands are emerging off the coast of Kazakhstan.

At the latest session held in Busan, the modernist buildings of Tashkent and the rock-cut mosques of the Mangistau region in Kazakhstan were added to the list. Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan would like to have its only site – the sacred mountain of Sulayman-Too in Osh – removed from the list so that a cable car can be built there.

Relations between Moscow’s eastern neighbours remain largely in limbo, as they seek to reduce their dependence without severing ties with Russia for good. Meanwhile, in Bishkek, Xi Jinping has, yet again, rejected Putin’s call to unblock the ‘Power of Siberia 2’ gas pipeline project.

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.

In the 2026 Global Soft Power Index, the country – which until a few years ago was confined to the stereotypes of the ‘post-Soviet space’ – has risen to 82nd place out of 193 countries. From pop stars who, breaking free from folkloric clichés, are crossing borders, to the Lonely Planet guide which has included Kazakhstan in its ‘Best in Travel 2025’ selection.

New temperature records have been set in many cities across Central Asia, in some cases exceeding 50 degrees. In this region, which is particularly vulnerable to climate change, roads have warped, power cuts linked to high consumption have occurred, and measures have been put in place to protect those working outdoors.