Eurasia / Features
A perfect storm as Israel’s war on Iran pushes the Taliban towards total collapse
The convergence of Israel’s military strikes on Tehran has created a catastrophic domino effect of potential regime collapse in Afghanistan, not Iran.
PANNIER: Strongman Rahmon’s actions towards Tajikistan’s Pamiri people nothing less than a cultural genocide
Yet hardly any outcry is heard from the international community.
INTERVIEW: Uzbekistan’s privatisation taking off as Franklin Templeton manages IPOs worth billions of the National Investment Fund in 1H26
Uzbekistan’s government has launched an ambitious privatisation programme aimed at reshaping its economy and capital markets. US fund Franklin Templeton is managing a $1.68bn portfolio of 18 companies in the Uzbekistan National Investment Fund.
,_who_visited_Mongolia_AND_Mongolian_President_Ukhnaagiin_Khurelsukh_250625_1750888210.jpg)
After decades of neglect, Central Asia awakening to trade possibilities with Mongolia
Ulaanbaatar welcomes two Central Asian leaders in June.
Can Kazakhstan deliver on the rare earth hype?
The expectation for the "new oil" is huge – but experts point out that it is still far too early to talk about the Central Asian country having massive, confirmed REE resources.
Global uncertainty causes FDI to plummet in Emerging Europe
wiiw research blames crisis in German industry and the uncertainty surrounding Donald Trump’s second term as US president for sharp slowdown in FDI.
Saudi Arabia-based power company ACWA Power plunges head first into Uzbekistan's green energy sector
Saudi Arabia-based utility developer ACWA Power plunged headfirst into the Uzbekistan green energy market. Since making its first investment in 2020 with a 1,500-MW plant in the Silk Road city of Bukhara, it has built $15bn worth of new capacity.
FIC head explains why Uzbekistan today is not the Uzbekistan of five years ago
As Uzbekistan continues its transition toward a more open and market-driven economy, there is progress in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) and improving the overall business climate.
Uzbekistan investment story reaches critical mass as the first round of international capital arrives to invest into its burgeoning businesses
Uzbekistan sees surge in foreign investor interest as green energy and private capital drive momentum.
TBC Uzbekistan boss Hughes building a Central Asian digital-only banking giant with retail, SME lending and AI services
Since it arrived in Uzbekistan in 2020 by taking over a fintech payment system, Georgia’s TBC has taken the market by storm. The country’s only pure online bank has grown by leaps and bounds and today has 1mn customers.
EU sanctions Turkey’s jihadists in Syria for slaughtering Alawites
Militias designated by Council of Ministers represent a failure by Ankara to organise militant groups during the Syria War.
Azerbaijan casino push aligns with business plans of president’s former son-in-law
The Azerbaijani parliament is set to adopt legislation to legalise casinos on artificial islands — which would pave the way for Emin Agalarov’s ‘Absheron Las Vegas’ project.
Arrest of billionaire Karapetyan escalates Armenia’s church-state showdown
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is embroiled in a very public confrontation with the Armenian Apostolic Church after accusing its head of fathering an illegitimate child.
Turkey's Koc in a sweet spot in Uzbekistan's burgeoning real estate sector
The Uzbekistan real estate market has entered a sweet spot. A burgeoning population, rising capital inflows, a growing expat community and strong economic growth have combined to lift everyone’s boat.
The Navoi Mining & Metallurgical Combine is the jewel in Uzbekistan's golden crown
The Navoi Mining & Metallurgical Combine is Uzbekistan’s crown jewel and the fourth largest gold mine in the world. It also epitomises the Central Asian republic’s efforts to modernise its economy.
PANNIER: Central Asia’s space race
A satellite in orbit offers a nation prestige, essential data in handling natural disasters and, controversially, a blanket “kill switch” for the internet during unrest.
Mongolia picks reformer to lead cabinet after former PM exits in scandal
Zandanshatar Gombojav’s past may bother nervous foreign investors. But says one expert: “Today he presents himself as a reform-minded stabiliser, not a threat to foreign capital.”
Uzbekistan’s President Mirziyoyev strikes neutral stance in investment forum keynote speech
“Uzbekistan has attracted $39bn of FDI in the last eight years, up 10-fold,” Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev told delegates to the fourth Tashkent International Investment Forum (TIIF) on June 10.
Uzbekistan top supermarket Korzinka raises $110mn to fund rapid expansion
Organised retail is growing fast in Uzbekistan, catering to the demands of a growing middle class for convenience and upmarket goods, but it remains in the early stages of development.
Armenian economy stabilises after 2022 boom, says RenCap
Growth surge that saw Armenia’s GDP nearly double to $25bn by 2024 is mostly over, says investment bank.