A new EU-Central Asia Strategy: Deepening relationships and generating long-lasting impact
Introduction Over the past decade, the European Union (EU) has become an active actor in Central Asia. It has expanded...
Society
Going Tajikistan: Mind your step
‘The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes’, Marcel Proust Tajikistan has...
SMEs as the backbone of the economy: a daunting development challenge for Tajikistan
Economic relations between the European Union (EU) and Tajikistan are limited. The trade balance between the two parties over the...
The European market remains a dream for Kyrgyz exporters
In 2016, the European Union (EU) granted Kyrgyzstan Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status. The new status meant reduced...
Uzbekistan opening up
Optimism and doubt… Uzbekistan has begun to take steps towards openness and economic and political reform. Since the death of...
Civil society in Uzbekistan: Building from the ground up
Uzbekistan is changing. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has initiated a series of economic and governance reforms, and the country’s new direction...
North, West, home best. Tajik labour migration and EU development cooperation
Migration is an integral part of Tajikistan’s society, economy, and politics. It is estimated that one million Tajik nationals entered...
Key Kazakh interests in working with Europe
During the past decade, a significant boost was given to cooperation between Kazakhstan and the European Union (EU). In 2015,...
Civil Society Cornered in Central Asia
Introduction Civil society and independent voices in Central Asia are increasingly under pressure from the authorities. Repression has intensified over...
On a positive note…
Opportunities for Central Asia Central Asia receives rather limited attention when compared to other parts of the world, and when...
EU-Kyrgyzstan human rights diplomacy: good effort but weak follow-up
On 29-30 October, the 5th EUKyrgyzstan Civil Society Seminar(CSS) was held in Osh in southKyrgyzstan, where the violent June 2010...
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...