EU-Central Asia co-operation: same venue, different tune
As a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine, the focus of Europe-Central Asia relations is likely to change. In weathering these changes, both regions will need to nurture their mechanisms...
Rethinking the EU’s ‘prosperity’ agenda in Central Asia
The EU wants to lay the ground for a more prosperous Central Asia. One potential emerging path for the EU in Central Asia would be to make use of China’s...
The EU’s ‘resilience’ agenda in Central Asia: too distant, too ambitious
The EU seeks to promote ‘resilience’ in Central Asia. The war in Ukraine should urge the EU to rethink its region-based approach to building resilience in Central Asia. Easier said...
Seven pointers for the new EUSR for Central Asia
The position of European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for Central Asia is key for EU-Central Asia relations. The EU’s visibility in the region remains modest, and the EUSR plays...
Delivering aid ‘uphill’: Discussing development cooperation in the mountainous regions of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan
The mountainous regions of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan present a set of specific development challenges and opportunities to inhabitants, local governments, and international donors alike. Often, there is a mismatch...
Out of the frying pan and into the fire: Kyrgyzstani women abroad
Kyrgyzstani female labourers working abroad face a double risk: being women and being migrants. Most lack basic social and legal protection. Indira is a Kyrgyz hairdresser in Moscow. Because...
Not safe at home: Covid-19 in Kyrgyzstan
Women and girls in Kyrgyzstan have been severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Domestic violence and sexual abuse already were a serious problem in the Central Asian region as...
Emancipation or back to the kitchen? Gender and civil society in Kyrgyzstan
The Kyrgyz state in general and the healthcare system in particular were overwhelmed by the Covid-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020. When the state was unavailable to help,...
Narrowing the digital divide in Uzbekistan’s education system: Covid-19 lessons
The Covid-19 pandemic transformed everyday realities overnight, as most services and activities had to be moved online. Education worldwide was hit hard. As schools and universities shifted to online...
Invisible migration with visible consequences
Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek is growing fast. While official data indicates only a few thousand ‘visible’ migrants moving from rural areas to the capital each year, unofficial estimations point to...