A video narrating the life of the last khan of the Kazakh Khanate, in which the Kyrgyz are portrayed as treacherous and collaborationists, has ruffled some feathers in the Kyrgyz government. Even…
Tag: Kazakhstan
Turkmenistan’s National Leader regional tour
The National Leader of Turkmenistan embarked on a regional tour visiting neighbouring Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan just shortly after the EU-Central Asia summit in Samarkand. Another indication on who really is the…
Time to criticise Nazarbayev… and stay in power
In an interview with a Kazakh newspaper, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev openly criticised his predecessor while implicitly announcing his plans to stay in power. As the years go by, the criticism to Nazarbayev by…
The Emir of Qatar’s Central Asian tour
The Emir of Qatar has travelled to four of the five Central Asian republics as part of a trip that highlights the role the Gulf countries can play in the region. The…
Conscripts in Central Asia, a dangerous obligation
Soldiers in the Central Asian republics have to face worse dangers than enemy bullets or shells. Bullying, hazing, accidents, and psychological pressure are responsible for a large share of deaths and injuries…
Turkey and Central Asian military cooperation: more than just drones
From arms sales to joint military exercises and cooperation agreements, in the last few years Turkey has stepped up its security links with the Central Asian nations. This has opened new opportunities…
Tokayev’s balancing act in the Russia-Ukraine war
Central Asia is one of the regions most affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Its strong links to Moscow has put the Central Asian countries in a difficult position. They cannot be…
Questions arise after Kazakhstan’s Minister of Defence dismissal
Days after being confirmed in his post as Minister of Defence, Murat Bektanov was dismissed by President Tokayev. He did so with strong words against the former minister, even though it was…
Nazarbayev’s piloted power transition fails
The power struggles in the corridors of Nur-Sultan following the protests in Kazakhstan have proven that the Nazarbayev’s piloted transition that started in 2019 has not been successful. In March 2019, the…
Nazarbayev personality cult increases as he steps down
It has been more than two years since Nursultan Nazarbayev decided to leave the presidency of Kazakhstan. Since then, his personality cult has been gradually increasing. Building his legacy is now a…
Central Asian leaders’ meeting yields results even before taking place
On August 5 and 6 the Central Asian presidents are meeting in the Turkmen resort of Avaza to celebrate the Third Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia. A…
Kazakhstan’s Latin alphabet, fourth time lucky?
A new Kazakh alphabet using Latin characters will be the fourth attempt at transitioning away from the Cyrillic script. It is a subject in which the authorities have insisted in the last…
Kazakhstan, a safe haven for refugees escaping Xinjiang?
The attack on two ethnic Kazakh that seek refuge in Kazakhstan following their escape from China raises questions about the Kazakh authorities’ real stance with asylum-seekers from Xinjiang. On January 21, two…
Homosexuality in Central Asia: A problem of social mentality?
Members of the LGBTQ community throughout Central Asia suffer unimaginable hardships. Each day they are forced to decide between living openly, which could lead to punishment and death under their oppressive regimes…
New names, a withdrawal and a comeback: Kazakhstan’s elections heat up
In the last weeks, a series of news regarding Kazakhstan’s January parliamentary elections have brought Nur-Sultan back to the centre of Central Asian affairs after weeks dominated by the events unfolding in…
Reemphasizing everyday traditions in Central Asia during the COVID-19 pandemic
As most of the world has resigned to staying home during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an increased emphasis on rediscovering traditions, customs, and familial connections. The coronavirus has forced humanity to…
In the fields of wheat: an authoritarian obsession
The Central Asian republics have been shaped by the personality of their leaders since their independence from the Soviet Union. From Kazakhstan’s Nursultan Nazarbayev to Uzbekistan’s Shavkat Mirziyoyev, they all have developed…
What lies behind Dariga Nazarbayeva’s dismissal?
The removal on May 2 of Dariga Nazarbayeva, daughter of Nursultan Nazarbayev, by president Tokayev from her roles as senator and chair of the Senate came as a surprise. As many things…
What is in a name? The (re)naming of cities in Central Asia
For centuries, London has been London, Paris has been Paris and Rome has been Rome. Despite revolutions, wars and upheavals, the names of those cities have remained the same after evolving naturally…
With detainees avoiding deportation to China, is Kazakhstan’s approach to Xinjiang changing?
In the last days, three ethnic Kazakh Chinese citizens have avoided deportation back to China after fleeing Beijing’s repressive campaign in Xinjiang. While these are positive developments, questions remain on the reasons…
A majolica façade: Central Asia’s fabricated political parties
In the last weeks, the Uzbek people have gone to the polls to elect their representatives for the Oliy Majlis, the lower house of parliament. The nation was able to choose between…
Nazarbayev, Kazakhstan’s face to the world
Nursultan Nazarbayev formally gave up power on March 2019 but it is no secret that the former president has been pulling the strings in the background ever since. While his involvement in…
Graphomania among the Central Asian leaders
It is not uncommon for politicians to write books. Once they have left the reins of power, one can expect them to write their memoirs in which they justify their past deeds…
Nazarbayev, not settling into retirement
In an unexpected move that confirms problems in the ruling elite, former president Nursultan Nazarbayev has decided to grant himself new powers at the expense of the current head of state, Kassym-Jomart…