Eurasianet

Tajikistan striving to convince the world that it can contain terrorism

Tajikistan, a Central Asian state with limited means, is trying to project a get-tough-on-terror image following the late March attack at a Moscow concert venue, in which Tajik militants are accused of killing over 140 people. But the government steps being taken appear to address the symptoms of the domestic challenge, not the disease. The March 22 terror tragedy prompted a wave of retribution against Tajik citizens in Russia and placed President Imomali Rahmon’s regime in an unwelcome spotlight, reminding the world of its numerous flaws in governance. Rahmon’s damage-control efforts have inc...

Central Asia: Welcome to the ‘opportunity zone’

The Great Game is playing out once again in Central Asia, but it is getting a new name and adopting a different set of rules. Economics, not politics, is defining the terms of the current superpower competition for regional influence, according to a report prepared by a Kazakh research institute. There is a key difference governing the global rivalries in Central Asia in the 19th and 21st centuries: these days, regional states, not outsiders, wield the more influence over potential outcomes, according to the report, titled Pursuing Multi-Vectorism Through Business Diplomacy: The Path for Centr...

Kyrgyzstan: The sun sets on the Soros Foundation in Bishkek

The Soros-Kyrgyzstan Foundation is ending grantmaking activity in the Central Asian nation after distributing more than $115 million in funding to non-profit groups and other organizations over the past 31 years. A statement issued by the Open Society Foundations, the parent entity of the Kyrgyz foundation, cited the introduction of restrictive “foreign agents” legislation as the reason for the closure. “We deeply regret that the organization’s activities can no longer continue and that the new repressive law will lead civil society to operate in an environment of uncertainty and fear,” said O...

Kazakhstan toughens domestic violence laws

A vicious beating captured on video has helped spur Kazakhstan’s government to address the issue of domestic violence. A new law makes instances of domestic violence a criminal, not civil offense, toughening penalties for convicted abusers. Human rights advocates have their doubts, however, about the law’s ability to curb violence. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed legal amendments on April 15 to expand definitions and lengthen punishments in cases involving violence against women and children. Prior to the amendments’ approval, most domestic violence cases were treated as administrative ...

US to help Armenia modernize its military

Only a few years ago, the idea seemed unimaginable: the United States is planning to give considerable military assistance to Armenia, Russia’s not-so-long-ago strategic partner. But times have changed, and Washington is treading cautiously as it works to erase a geopolitical red line in the Caucasus. The Armenian government started distancing itself politically and economically from Russia after experiencing a crushing defeat at the hands of the Azerbaijani military in Nagorno-Karabakh. The widespread feeling in Yerevan was that the Kremlin failed to fulfill its security commitments to Armeni...

Caucasus: Transit trade ambitions compound challenges of containing pollution

Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan intend to spend millions of dollars in the coming years developing international trade corridors in the South Caucasus. While such investment may boost prosperity, it is likely to exacerbate a pernicious environmental and health challenge: air pollution. A lack of environmental regulation of industry – along with the explosive growth of automobiles – since the Soviet Union’s collapse means that many cities in the Caucasus are often engulfed in smog. The expansion of trade that regional leaders envision threatens to intensify a pollution conundrum: present effor...

Azerbaijan looks to Italy for political backing in Karabakh peace process

Italy is emerging as a new player in South Caucasus geopolitics, providing backing for Azerbaijan amid the European Union’s efforts to broker a durable peace between Baku and Armenia. From Azerbaijan’s perspective, the hope is that a higher Italian profile in the peace process can help mitigate France’s unflinching support for Armenia. Italian Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Edmondo Cirielli has been a particularly vocal supporter of Baku. On April 3, he chided the EU’s approach in trying to broker a peace deal, singling out France for one-sidedness. “Any sudd...

Central Asia is a bastion of “consolidated” authoritarianism – report

The prospect for the emergence of rule of law is bleak in many formerly Soviet states. Outside of Russia and Azerbaijan, it is bleakest in Central Asia. The latest installment of Freedom House’s annual report, Nations in Transit 2024, shows that all five Central Asian states were deemed “consolidated authoritarian regimes,” the lowest category in the survey in terms of individual rights and competitive political systems. The report evaluated the state of political freedom in 29 states that once had communist systems. In all, eight countries received the “consolidated authoritarian” designation...

Russian-style authoritarianism making gains in the Caucasus – rights watchdog

The Russian military may be stymied in Ukraine, but the Kremlin is winning an ideological conflict in the Caucasus. Armenia has taken steps to distance itself from Russia over the past year, but the region’s two other states, Azerbaijan and Georgia, are moving closer to Russian-style authoritarianism, according to an annual report issued by a leading rights watchdog group. Freedom House’s annual report on the state of political freedom in 29 European and Central Asian countries, Nations in Transit 2024, calls out the ruling Georgian Dream coalition in Georgia for slamming the breaks on democra...

Central Asian states have a coal dependency problem – report

Global warming is causing temperatures to rise at a faster pace in Central Asia than in other parts of the world. Yet a report issued by a watchdog group shows that Central Asian states are compounding their environmental challenges by doubling down on the use of coal-fired power plants, a primary source of greenhouse gas emissions that fuel warming. The annual report by Global Energy Monitor (GEM), titled Boom and Bust Coal 2024: Tracking the Global Coal Plant Pipeline, showed that coal’s role in power generation has doubled in Central Asia over the past decade. Plans to add generating capaci...