Uzbekistan named the region’s breakout economy for 2026 as cities across Central Asia report sharp gains in entrepreneurial activity. A new ranking of global startup hubs finds Central Asia posting the fastest expansion of any subregion, with the area’s ecosystem growing by about four-fifths year over year, according to the StartupBlink index released this month. Uzbekistan led the charge, leaping 19 places to 79th on the country list and registering the largest single-year c

Azerbaijan announced Wednesday that it will reopen a land crossing with neighboring Georgia and resume passenger rail service between the two capitals, a move the government describes as aimed at reuniting families long separated by the pandemic-era travel limits. Regular trains are scheduled to resume on May 26, officials said, restoring an overland option after more than five years of travel being possible only by air — a cost many ethnic Azeris in Georgia cannot afford. Th

Central Asian capitals are scrambling to turn decades-old mineral maps into mines as demand for battery and electronics metals climbs worldwide. Governments and regional firms are signing deals, courting foreign backers and redrawing trade routes to move copper, lithium, rare-earth elements and other ores toward factories in Asia and Europe. For decades, much of the region’s geology sat largely unexploited after Soviet-era surveys. Now exploration has surged. Officials in sev

Subheadline: Governments from Astana to Tashkent are tightening rules and courting new partners to build processing and manufacturing capacity at home, while investors weigh risks and rewards Central Asian capitals are moving to keep a bigger slice of the profits from mining critical metals, tightening contract terms and pressing for onshore processing rather than raw exports. Officials say they want more jobs and industrial activity linked to deposits of lithium, tungsten, u

Kazakhstan is shifting its education policy away from simply growing enrollment and toward tighter government control of admissions, expanded vocational pathways and a push to digitize classrooms, officials said. The changes, rolled out through 2025 and 2026, are aimed at easing severe teacher and worker shortages, reducing overcrowding in urban schools and narrowing the gap between what graduates know and what employers need. The immediate driver is a shortage of classroom s

Tajik scientists who carried out the country’s first winter field survey of a Pamir glacier since independence say they recorded worrying losses of snow and ice at altitudes once thought safe from rapid melt. The May 6-15 expedition to Glacier No. 457 in the upper Nukhchashma (Tokuzbulak) basin, a tributary of the Gunt River, showed that the glacier is shedding mass high in its catchment, a development that could tighten water supplies for nearby villages and downstream irrig

Uzbekistan launched its first international share sale on Wednesday, listing the state-backed National Investment Fund both in London and at home in Tashkent. The fund sold roughly one-third of its equity — about 31% — for nearly $604 million, with an option that could lift proceeds to roughly $692 million and increase the sold stake to a little over one-third. At the offer level, investors valued the vehicle at close to $1.95 billion. Demand outstripped supply, with bids top

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan used a state visit to Kazakhstan to press plans for expanding the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route — often called the Middle Corridor — setting trade and transit projects at the top of talks with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Officials signed a slate of agreements aimed at boosting rail, port and airport links even as Astana made clear it will keep a broadly diversified foreign policy. Erdogan and Tokayev framed the

As Moscow keeps pressing its message about the Second World War, governments across Central Asia are quietly changing how they mark May holidays, juggling loyalty to old allies with a desire to shape national identity. Leaders are recalibrating parades, museum programs and school lessons to appeal to populations that are markedly younger than the generation that fought in the 1940s, and to manage the diplomatic signals such events send to Russia. The result is a patchwork of

Kazakh leaders say the country must hasten its move to a data-driven economy and widen use of machine learning tools to avoid slowing growth and to attract outside capital. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev told members of the AI Development Council on May 4 that the nation’s old engines — commodity exports and inexpensive labor — are losing their edge, and that without new digital platforms growth could stall. He warned Kazakhstan faces a middle-income squeeze and called for a

Kazakhstan risks a painful local contraction unless authorities pair new mine approvals with workforce retraining, local industry development, upgraded infrastructure and concrete transition plans for towns that depend on a single resource. Local officials and community leaders are already warning that map updates and fresh extraction permits won't stop factory closures or wage declines once ore runs low. Mines can’t sustain regional governments or employ residents if the min

A China-linked lender has taken a majority stake in one of Georgia’s largest banks, creating a significantly larger institution and putting the personal and pension records of nearly 1.7 million people under foreign control, officials and analysts warn. BasisBank, which is owned by the Chinese conglomerate Hualing Group, bought Liberty Bank, the nation’s third-largest retail lender, doubling its balance sheet and elevating concerns about data privacy and possible efforts to s

Swiss judges paused legal action involving Gulnara Karimova on procedural grounds Tuesday, citing unresolved issues about the ownership and status of funds linked to the case. The suspension leaves open whether Swiss authorities will move ahead with prosecution or focus resources on tracing and securing assets tied to the long-running investigation. Karimova, the daughter of Uzbekistan’s late president, has been at the center of international corruption and money-laundering p

Kazakh officials have quietly stepped up their oversight of the country's mineral sector, moving to secure a bigger portion of revenues as international demand for battery and critical metals climbs. Foreign companies and financiers remain eager to invest in Kazakhstan's rich deposits, but recent revisions to tax and sub-soil rules have raised fresh questions about how predictable the business climate will be for outside investors and for local communities counting on jobs an

Kazakh Officials Seek Aid From International Lenders As Rivers, Reservoirs And Old Canals Strain Under Growing Demand Kazakh authorities, together with the United Nations Development Programme and several multilateral lenders, are scrambling to blunt a fast-growing water shortfall that analysts say could undercut the country's economic goals. UNDP projections indicate the country could face up to half of its water needs missing by 2040, and that the shortfall may shave roughl

Subheadline: The three-day meeting, hosted with U.N. support, aims to move water, air and land crises from statements to financed projects and a regional action plan Astana will host a U.N.-backed Regional Ecological Summit April 22-24 that organizers say is meant to lift environmental pressures into the center of Central Asian policymaking. The meeting brings together governments, international agencies, financiers, businesses, researchers and civic groups to discuss coordin

Kazakhstan Shifts to "Multi-Vectorism 2.0": Balancing Russia, China, and the West. Learn how Kazakhstan is revamping its foreign policy for increased adaptability in a complex geopolitical landscape. The strategy focuses on balancing global powers, leveraging its role in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the SCO, and emphasizing digital and public diplomacy for sustainable growth.

Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan Brace for Severe Winter Energy Shortages. Due to low water levels at hydropower plants and surging demand, millions face potential electricity rationing and rolling blackouts. Discover how both nations are seeking help from neighbors like Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to secure power and diversify their vulnerable energy systems.

Kazakhstan Aims for Aerospace Leadership: Innovations, Green Fuels, and Strategic Investments. Learn about Kazakhstan's plan to become a regional aviation hub through a national aerospace cluster, modernizing airports, and focusing on eco-friendly aviation fuels and drones. A look at the country's strategy for economic diversification and attracting foreign investment.

Sotheby's Shines Spotlight on Central Asian Art and Heritage. Explore the curated auction featuring artifacts from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. The event highlighted ancient Silk Road textiles, traditional jewelry, and rare manuscripts, marking rising international interest in the region's rich cultural legacy.