It seems that the region continues to act as a platform for battles of interests between the EU and Russia. So far, this competition is favouring the Stans.

This week the former soviet countries celebrate the 'old New Year', and the Stans are celebrating in style - facing a freeze that's not been seen for the last decade or two. This, of course, poses a serious infrastructural challenge, with the region dipping into energy preservation, but the leadership remains optimistic.

Despite the increasingly obvious political mismatch, the region had no intention to jeopardize relations this week.

On the evening of November 4th, the Fifth China International Import Expo officially opened. At the invitation of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Ms. Wang Kewen Deputy Secretary General of CODA attended the opening ceremony of the Kazakhstan National Pavilion on the afternoon of the Nov. 5th , and the Consul General of Kazakhstan in Shanghai Rakhimov Rakhymzhanod attended and delivered a speech.

What was 2021 like for Central Asia you ask? It was marked by a very hot summer, both literally and figuratively. The withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan triggered chaotic refugee migrations, and coincided with an aggressive spread of COVID-19’s Delta variant. At the same time, weaknesses in the national grid systems were exposed in the exodus of crypto farms from China, following PRC’s crackdown on crypto mining. Yet, past the political...

After announcing their anniversary Resolutions, the Central Asian Stans start switching to actions this week.

As stakes grow in the region, foreign actors cooperate and set aside their differences to unite for the support of economic stability and human security.

Central Asia’s aim of improving regional connectivity and greater integration of Afghanistan are being challenged by tensions between the neighbours and the cocktail molotov that is US-Afghan relations.

With the first week of January behind us, we are all in anticipation of what is to come, and there are a few things brewing in Central Asia.

Half-sitting at the confetti-covered table, we scavenge over the remains of Olivier salad, while trying to sober up and recover the memory of what just happened, and prepare for what’s going to come next? In this two-part issue, we share our 20 notes from 2020, and try to extrapolate what is in store in 2021.