Uzbekistan opening up
Optimism and doubt…
Uzbekistan has begun to take steps towards openness and economic and political reform. Since the death of President Islam Karimov in September 2016 and the parliamentary appointment...
Towards a new EU Strategy for Central Asia
Tactics or Strategy?
Ten years after the inception of the European Union’s (EU) Strategy for Central Asia, in June 2017 the European Council initiated a process to develop a new...
On a positive note…
Opportunities for Central Asia
Central Asia receives rather limited attention when compared to other parts of the world, and when it does, it is often not good news: authoritarian regimes,...
Discussing human rights with Central Asia is not enough
Universal human rights seem to bypass Central Asia
Central Asia is probably the most authoritarian region in the world. According to Freedom House’s 2014 ‘Nations in Transit’ report, the level...
Central Asia 2030…
Novels, academic literature and cinema all tend to take a bleak view in forecasting the future. Futuristic novels from the 1920s and 1930s, such as We by Yevgeny Zamyatin...
Rule of Law support for Central Asia
Every leader, whether authoritarian or democratic, would agree that the rule of law is needed in managing a state. They might disagree, however, on the precise meaning and purpose...
Environmental Security in Central Asia
One Bucket at a Time
Landlocked Central Asia is home to two major rivers, the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, as well as two inland seas, the Caspian and Aral....
EUCAM tour de Central Asia
Te EU Central Asia Strategy @ 5
The EU Strategy for Central Asia is fve years old. Much has been accomplished in over half a decade of building relations, but...
NATO and Central Asia
The two elephants that never meet
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has a keen interest in Central Asia due to the security and stability risks the region generates, as...
Finland and Central Asia
Helsinki - Moscow - Bishkek
The European Union’s engagement in Central Asia largely depends on the national policies of member states and donor support. The amount of development assistance provided...