Everything Old is New Again: Mongolia and Central Asia Forge Relations
Editor’s note: Mongolia and the Central Asian countries are beginning to rediscover their ancient roots and opportunities for cooperation. Eldaniz Gusseinov recently visited Ulaanbaatar for the CAMCA (Central Asia–Mongolia–Caucasus–Afghanistan) Forum and, after a nine-and-a-half-hour flight, traveled to Istanbul, where he participated in a summer school program titled The Rise of the Turkic World. In his…
EU Needs ESG Focus for Central Asia’s Raw Materials
The EU’s leaders arrived in Samarkand this April with a €13.2 billion ($15.18 billion) Global Gateway package and a clear message: Europe can be more than a distant buyer of ore. Critical raw materials (CRM) now sit at the heart of the partnership announced at the region’s first EU-Central Asia summit, and Brussels has earmarked €2.5…
Kazakhstan’s Multivector Nuclear Diplomacy: Who Will Build Its First Nuclear Power Plant?
From October to December 2024, Kazakhstan’s foreign policy agenda found itself at the epicenter of attention for several global players in the nuclear industry. Following a referendum in which over 70% of the country’s citizens supported the idea of constructing Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant (NPP), active diplomatic efforts began to form an international consortium. …
Kazakhstan in 2024: Asserting Status of Middle Power and Expanding Foreign Policy Horizons
In 2024, Kazakhstan aimed to demonstrate increasing independence and a persistent drive to strengthen its international status through its foreign policy. Amid global turbulence, resource competitions, and the rivalry of major power centers, Astana seeks to build a multivector strategy aimed at ensuring national security, economic stability, and the expansion of its diplomatic arsenal. Highlighted…
Kazakhstan and Mongolia Pursue Anchor Projects to Boost Trade and Industry
During Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to Mongolia on Oct. 28-29 for a meeting with President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh, Tokayev emphasized the need to increase cooperation in the mining industry alongside other important economic sectors. He noted that both sides require anchor projects capable of providing a significant boost to the development of economic cooperation. Kazakhstan…
SCO summit in Astana Seeks to Understand Global Redistribution of Power
On July 4, Astana hosted the SCO summit, shaping the future development of Eurasian processes. These processes range from changes in energy supply routes to resolving issues between major players like India and China. The speeches of the state leaders highlighted that one of the summit’s key themes was to comprehend the shifts in global…
Evaluating EU’s Central Asia Strategy: Five-Year Mark and Future Expectations
It is time for the European Union to revise its strategy towards the Central Asian countries. Its old strategy is already five years old and no longer corresponds to the realities and situation both in Central Asia and in the European Union. In fact, we can clearly see how back in 2019, Romania, in its…
