Central Asia Digest | February 2020
Political Developments Violence broke out in Masanchi village in South-East Kazakhstan among local Kazakhs and a group of ethnic Chinese Muslims called Dungans who number more than 150,000 across Central Asia. The rampage, which resulted in 11 deaths, saw hundreds of ethnic Kazakh assailants descend on the Dungans, setting fire to homes, shops and livestock. […]
Central Asia Digest | March 2020
Political Developments Tajikistan’s parliamentary election, held on March 1, delivered the expected victory to President Emomali Rahmon’s party and a small array of pro-government outfits. The Social Democratic Party of Tajikistan, the only opposition party left in the country following the 2015 banning of the Islamic Renaissance Party, failed to meet the threshold to gain […]
Central Asia Digest | April 2020
Political Developments Kazakh President made a televised Address to the nation on fresh measures to soften the blow of the coronavirus epidemic on private enterprises and pledged more support for healthcare workers and vulnerable people. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev went out of his way to connect with the Presidents of most neighbouring countries including Afghanistan, […]
Central Asia Digest | May 2020
Political Developments Statements by terrorist groups based in Central Asia and Afghanistan welcoming the US-Taliban “Peace Deal’’ signed on 29th February and congratulating the Taliban for evicting the occupying forces have impelled Afghanistan’s northern neighbours to extend their cooperation beyond rhetoric and multilateral meetings. Uzbekistan and Tajikistan signed a “Partnership 2020” agreement on military cooperation. […]
Central Asia Digest | June 2020
Political Developments China has made “significant inroads in the security sector” in Central Asia in recent years, disrupting the nebulous separation of powers between it and Russia and setting the stage for increased friction in the future. It is often thought that there is a strict division in Central Asia where Russia deals with security […]
Central Asia Digest | July 2020
H I G H L I G H T S ● Political Developments ● Economic Developments ● India-Central Asia Relations Political Developments Many analysts suggest that there is a strict division in Central Asia where Russia deals with security and China does economics. That division is fading. China is already a hard power in the region. This is […]
Central Asia Digest | August 2020
Political Developments On July 8, Chinese embassy in Kazakhstan warned Chinese citizens that Kazakhstan had an “unknown pneumonia” outbreak more deadly than COVID-19. Chinese embassy said that “unknown pneumonia in Kazakhstan caused 1,772 deaths in first six months of the year, including 628 people in June alone.’’ The following day, Kazakh health ministry acknowledged the […]
Central Asia Digest | September 2020
H I G H L I G H T S ● Political Developments ● Economic Developments ● India-Central Asia Relations Political Developments An article appeared in Chinese news outlets recently claiming that Tajikistan’s Pamir mountains historically belonged to China and should be returned. The article was penned by a nationalist historian. The message hit Dushanbe hard. Tajik officials […]
Central Asia Digest | October 2020
H I G H L I G H T S ● Political Developments ● Economic Developments ● India-Central Asia Relations Political Developments On September 1, 2020, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev delivered his annual state-of-the-nation address highlighting seven key principles of the new economic course Kazakhstan is set to embark on in the near future. These are: equitable distribution […]
Special Issue | Central Asia Digest | Kyrgyzstan in Turmoil | October 2020
SPECIAL ISSUE ● KYRGYZSTAN IN TURMOIL Introduction It was hoped and expected when the Constitution of Kyrgyzstan was amended in June, 2010 that democracy would develop strong roots and that Kyrgyzstan’s days of coups and forced change of governments would be over. The change in the Constitution in 2010 took place in the aftermath of what […]