Tajikistan
Central Asia has become “like a girl whose house is full of suitors”, analyst says
Powers including China, Russia, the US and the EU “all promise something to the bride” in scramble for resources such as critical minerals.
Xi signs treaty to elevate China's ties with Central Asia at Astana summit
Document refers to "permanent good-neighbourliness and friendly cooperation". Chinese leader takes jab at US, saying trade and tariff wars "produce no winners".
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.
Israeli embassies worldwide suspend operations
Israeli diplomatic missions globally have suspended operations amid the ongoing Israeli military operation against Iran which has killed nearly 80 people.
Central Asia’s agricultural sector facing heat this coming growing season
Dry and warm conditions expected to heighten irrigation needs.
CENTRAL ASIA BLOG: Tajikistan plays role as one of world’s pre-eminent water diplomats at glacier summit, but Rogun dam remains a hard sell
Experts from near and far met in Dushanbe to discuss danger posed by melting of giant ice sheets. But was “blue-washing” obscuring threat of titanic hydro project?
Russia bringing in de facto visa regime for Central Asia nationals, say critics
Rights campaigners, meanwhile, hit out at digital controls on migrants in country that they say will be used to corner people into joining armed forces.
Central Asian states are sharing water resources
Hydropower is part of the equation.
Kyrgyzstan offers to help Tajikistan build artificial glaciers
Each "ice tower" costs between $3,000 and $4,000 and can store up to 50,000 cubic metres of water. Kyrgyz have already built around 30.
Taliban: Making an investment pitch
A lot may have changed, but the Taliban can’t escape recent history.
Water will one day be more valuable than oil in Central Asia, warns Tajik analyst
Melting of glaciers in Tajikistan’s mountains a grave threat to region’s water security.
M360 GSMA Eurasia event spotlights rich promise of mobile tech, 5G and AI
Mobile technologies and services said to have generated 7.7%, or $220bn, of GDP across region last year.
Tajikistan faces uphill climb to wire the country
Dushanbe has slowest Internet in Eurasia.
China filling void left by USAID’s dismantling
Small and Beautiful marks next phase of Belt & Road Initiative.
Kazakhstan joins Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan in warning Taliban canal could hit water security
Knock-on effects could leave country facing crisis, Astana conference hears.
United States has image problem in Central Asia
Public perceptions toward Washington rapidly swing from positive to negative.
Afghanistan: Grappling with fall-out of dwindling foreign aid
Almost all US assistance terminated.
EBRD cuts 2025 growth forecasts citing tariffs and global uncertainty
Development bank lowers forecasts for Emerging Europe, Central Asia and North Africa as slowdowns in Germany and China take their toll.
MOSCOW BLOG: A muted V-day parade on Red Square
I have just been watching the Victory Day parade on Red Square. A few observations.
PANNIER: Barbed wire gives lie to talk of Kyrgyz-Tajik border deal symbolising “eternal friendship”
It’s a pitiful sight in the beautiful Ferghana Valley, where, in thousands of years of habitation, a formal frontier never existed.