Central Asia
Kazakhstan security forces on high alert in Almaty amid calls for fresh protests
Security forces blocked several downtown streets and cordoned off one of the squares in Kazakhstan's biggest city Almaty on Wednesday (19 January) as an opposition group planned to stage protests, a Reuters correspondent reported from the scene.
Kazakh FM: We had no choice but to call the Russian troops
Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi said on Tuesday (18 January) the situation in his country was normalising, following the unrest that shook it in the first days of the new year, and Russian troops, which he said helped prevent a possible coup d'etat, were withdrawing.
Russia-led bloc starts pulling troops out of Kazakhstan
A Russia-led military bloc began pulling its troops out of Kazakhstan on Thursday (13 January) after a week-long deployment during the worst bout of unrest in the Central Asian nation's post-Soviet history.
Insider’s account: The Kazakhstan unrest
A trusted EURACTIV source in Almaty gave a rare first-hand account of the Kazakhstan unrest that shook up the Central Asian country in the first days of 2022.
Kazakh president fires rare criticism at predecessor after unrest
Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev issued rare criticism of his long-ruling predecessor Tuesday (11 January), and said he expected Russian-led forces to leave the troubled Central Asian country in the next 10 days.
Russia-led troops to start leaving Kazakhstan
A Russia-led military bloc will begin withdrawing its troops from Kazakhstan in two days' time after fulfilling its main mission of stabilising the Central Asian country after serious unrest, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Tuesday (11 January).
The Brief – ‘Business as usual’ with Kazakhstan?
The new year started with unrest in Kazakhstan, which will likely impact the wider picture of world geopolitics.
EU ministers to consider measures over Kazakh crackdown
EU foreign ministers will this week discuss possible measures to respond to the crackdown against anti-government protests in Kazakhstan over the past week, a French minister said on Sunday (9 January).
Kazakh president says gave order to ‘open fire with lethal force’ amid continued unrest
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said he has personally ordered security forces to “open fire with lethal force” against protestors amid a violent uprising currently gripping the Central-Asian country.
Europe voices concern over unrest in Kazakhstan
Authorities in Kazakhstan declared a nationwide state of emergency and promised a tough crackdown on Wednesday (5 January) as mass unrest plunged the country into chaos.
Kazakh president removes ex-leader Nazarbayev from post amid unrest
Kazakhstan's president stripped his powerful predecessor Nursultan Nazarbayev of a role as head of the country's security council on Wednesday (5 December) after demonstrators stormed and torched public buildings in the republic's worst unrest for more than a decade.
Kazakhstan government resigns after violent protests over fuel price
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev accepted the government's resignation on Wednesday (5 January), his office said, after a fuel price increase in the oil-rich Central Asian country triggered protests in which nearly 100 police were injured.
Kazakhstan to maintain ties, avoid humanitarian catastrophe in Afghanistan
The minister of trade of Kazakhstan, Bakhyt Sultanov, visited Kabul over the weekend, this being the second such high-level visit recently, after Erzhan Kazykhan, the special representative of Kazakhstan's president, also called held talks with the Taliban.
Kazakhstan ambassador: 2021 has been a ‘special year’ in Kazakh-EU relations
In an exclusive interview, Margulan Baimukhan, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the EU, discussed tensions between major geopolitical players, Central Asian cooperation, and his country's traditions in promoting international understanding.
India woos Central Asian countries in geopolitical race for influence
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the foreign ministers of the five Central Asian countries in New Delhi on Monday (20 December) in what appears to be an effort to compete with the influence of other geopolitical players in the region: Russia, China, and Pakistan.
Kazakhstan plans to model new ETS on EU’s scheme, say lawmakers
Kazakhstan plans to align its revamped carbon emissions trading scheme closely with the EU’s as part of its domestic green transition plans, its lawmakers said at a conference hosted by EURACTIV.
Kazakhstan president visits Brussels in effort to deepen relations
The President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, paid a rare official visit to Belgium on Thursday and Friday (25-26 November) in an effort to present his country as a reliable partner to the EU and open the door to new opportunities.
Central Asia will not be involved in human trafficking to Belarus, Borrell says
The reach out by the EU in Central Asia on preventing human trafficking into Belarus has been 'fruitful' in the region, EU officials told reporters in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on Wednesday (24 November).
Afghanistan looms large at EU-Central Asia talks in Dushanbe
EU's chief diplomat Josep Borrell and Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen on Monday (22 November) asked Afghanistan's neighbours to prevent human trafficking as they met their Central Asian counterparts in the Tajik capital. EURACTIV reports from Dushanbe.
Trade Minister of Kazakhstan: As WTO chair, we will push for consensus on reform
In an exclusive interview, the Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan Bakhyt Sultanov discussed the upcoming WTO ministerial under the chairmanship of his country, EU-Kazakhstan economic relation, and carbon border tax.
Kazakhstan will stop using coal from 2050
Kazakhstan aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, which means expanding the share of renewables to 83% and halting heat generation from coal after 2050, Serikkali Brekeshev told EURACTIV in an interview.
Meta and Kazakhstan spar over Facebook control
Facebook owner Meta Platforms and the government of Kazakhstan issued contradictory statements on Tuesday (2 November) after the Kazakh government announced that it had been granted exclusive access to the social network's content reporting system.
Uzbeks vote to re-elect their president
Uzbekistan held presidential elections on Sunday (24 October) amid little doubt that incumbent Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who has opened the Central Asian country to the world in recent years, will be re-elected for another five-year term.