Central Asia News Bulletin

Kazakhstan fights corruption, reassures China as “Priority”; Chinese press freedom declines; Winter Olympics kick-start with world leaders in Beijing; India & Central Asia working on Chabahar /04.02.2022

_{Image source: Al Jazeera}

This past week, Kazakh President Kassym Jomart Tokayev pointed to a $5.7 billion disparity in Kazakh and Chinese trade statistics due to “smuggling rings on the Kazakh-Chinese border” and promised to dismantle them. Kazakh Ambassador to China Gabit Koishibayev tried to calm Chinese worries that the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) could lead to the revival of Pan-Turkism and assured China that Kazakhstan-China relations remain a top priority for his government. A report by the Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC) of China was published about the decline of media freedom in China. Despite the boycott by the US, the UK, Canada and Australia, the Winter Olympics’ Opening Ceremony kick-started in Beijing with a number of world leaders present. Elsewhere, Pakistan has reportedly secured $5 billion in loans from Russia, China and Kazakhstan, and India and the 5 Central Asian states have agreed to form a joint working group on Chabahar Port of Iran.

: 04 February 2022

Power blackouts in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan; China pledges $500 million in aid to Central Asia; India hosts talks with Central Asian leaders /28.01.2022

_{Image source: CCTV}

Power blackouts were reported in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. The cause of the blackouts was narrowed down to the disconnection of the southern grid from the power plants in northern Kazakhstan and Russia. Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged $500 million in aid to Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan) during a virtual meeting with the representatives of the five states, and in a similar meeting hosted by India, the same five Central Asian countries and India pledged to create a joint task-group to deliver aid to Afghanistan.

: 28 January 2022

Nazarbayev reappears as his family loses government positions in Kazakhstan; Kazakh corn gets shipped to China; The UN calls for aid for Afghanistan /21.01.2022

_{Image source: Elbasy.kz}

Kazakh ex-president Nursultan Nazarbayev addressed the nation as rumors about his well-being circulated, denying any feud with President Tokayev even as the former’s children are axed from government positions, the UN General Secretary Antonio Guterres called for aid for Afghanistan amid the worsening humanitarian crisis in the country, suggesting unfreezing foreign assets as an emergency relief measure, and a freight train loaded with corn arrived in China from Kazakhstan.

: 21 January 2022

Riots, Looting and Chaos in Kazakhstan; China’s continuous Aid for Afghanistan; & Beijing’s New Consulate in Iran /14.01.22

_{Image source: RT}

On 3rd of January, protests over gas prices escalated into riots and looting in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Russia, China, and the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) called for order and stability, Russia and Belarus sent troops into Almaty in response to the Kazakhstani government’s call for aid, while elsewhere Chinese aid to Afghanistan continued, and China announced the opening of a new consulate in Iran to facilitate the expansion of the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI).

: 14 January 2022

Biden's Sanctions for Russia and the future of Central Asian economies, China-Russia's aid for Afghanistan, & Uzbekistan to work on the Trans-Afghan Railway /24.12.21

_{Image source: AFP}

Afghanistan continued to receive humanitarian aid during this week from the Red Crescent & Red Cross, China, as well as Russia. Uzbekistan is said to begin the construction of the trans-Afghan railway in the spring of 2022, and India continues to be involved in the affairs of the region as the third meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Central Asia-India Dialogue was held in New Delhi. Another state involved in the affairs of the region is Russia, affecting the future of Central Asia through its tense and bitter relations with NATO.

: 24 December 2021

First Freight Train leaves Guangzhou for Kazakhstan, China's 2nd Batch of Winter Supplies arrives in Afghanistan, & Kyrgyzstan's Final Elections Results /17.12.21

_{Image source: Guangzhou Port}

This week, the first freight train to Kazakhstan left Guangzhou, officially opening a rail route from South China to Central Asia. China continues to be active in Afghanistan, donating the funds for building a mosque and sending the second batch of winter supplies to Kabul. In turn, the Taliban-led Government of Afghanistan thanked China for all recent donations. Also this week, votes were counted for the elections in Kyrgyzstan and representatives of six parties got into the parliament. Finally, ties with India were not neglected and the Central Asian leaders were invited to India on Republic Day.

: 17 December 2021

Trans-Afghan Corridor Negotiations, China's Continuous Aid to Afghanistan, & the EU border management program in Central Asia /10.12.21

_{Image source: Shutterstock}

The situation in Afghanistan remained on the agenda of many states this week. First, China delivered the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines and syringes as part of the emergency humanitarian assistance provided by the PRC government to Afghanistan. In Tashkent, the practical aspects of the construction of the Trans-Afghan corridor were discussed, and the EU will intensify cooperation with the countries of Central Asia against the backdrop of the situation in Afghanistan. Moreover, the 10th phase of the EU border management program in Central Asia officially began this week. Also, women’s rights issues, the protection of which was discussed by the ombudsmen of the countries of Central Asia, did not go unnoticed.

: 10 December 2021

Parliamentary Elections in Kyrgyzstan, Controversies around the "Summit for Democracy", Afghan Refugees Rejected by Uzbekistan and Tajikistan /03.12.21

_{Image source: RFERL}

Russia and China rejecting the proposed "Summit for Democracy" led by the United States made it to the regional news headlines this week, while one of the most significant events in the region was the parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan on November 28. Also, the forum "Republic of Korea - Central Asia" was held in Dushanbe. In addition, energy security of the region was also in the news, as during the Second Eurasian Congress Tajikistan was offered to return to the Central Asian energy ring in order to establish an exchange of electricity. With regards to Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan made it clear that they will have no room for Afghan refugees in their respective countries.

: 03 December 2021

Central Asia's Weekly

Media Monitoring

Kazakhstan fights corruption, reassures China as “Priority”; Chinese press freedom declines; Winter Olympics kick-start with world leaders in Beijing; India & Central Asia working on Chabahar /04.02.2022

Power blackouts in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan; China pledges $500 million in aid to Central Asia; India hosts talks with Central Asian leaders /28.01.2022

Nazarbayev reappears as his family loses government positions in Kazakhstan; Kazakh corn gets shipped to China; The UN calls for aid for Afghanistan /21.01.2022

Riots, Looting and Chaos in Kazakhstan; China’s continuous Aid for Afghanistan; & Beijing’s New Consulate in Iran /14.01.22

Biden's Sanctions for Russia and the future of Central Asian economies, China-Russia's aid for Afghanistan, & Uzbekistan to work on the Trans-Afghan Railway /24.12.21

First Freight Train leaves Guangzhou for Kazakhstan, China's 2nd Batch of Winter Supplies arrives in Afghanistan, & Kyrgyzstan's Final Elections Results /17.12.21

Trans-Afghan Corridor Negotiations, China's Continuous Aid to Afghanistan, & the EU border management program in Central Asia /10.12.21

Parliamentary Elections in Kyrgyzstan, Controversies around the "Summit for Democracy", Afghan Refugees Rejected by Uzbekistan and Tajikistan /03.12.21