Is Uzbekistan backsliding on religious freedom?
Uzbekistan, a Central Asian country with a predominantly Muslim population, has been praised for its efforts to reform its religious policies and improve its human rights record under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who came to power in 2016.
Central Asia stands to gain from Erdogan’s downfall
The outcome of Turkey’s elections, pitting President Erdogan against opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, will have significant implications for Central Asia.
Debt trap diplomacy: how China’s BRI is trapping Central Asian countries
In recent years, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), spearheaded by the Chinese government, has become synonymous with the economic development of the Central Asian...
Regional cooperation is key to unlocking Central Asia’s economic potential
Central Asia, a region of enormous untapped potential, stands at the precipice of a new era of economic growth and development. As global markets continue...
In the developing world, the true cost of Covid may never be known
Just how many lives have we lost to Covid-19? In large parts of the world, that is a question to which we may never get...
As the U.S finally leaves Afghanistan, China could fill the vacuum
As the last American troops prepare to leave Afghanistan, Taliban militants continue to make gains. The insurgents have escalated their offensive against government forces this...
Under the cover of Coronavirus, democratic backsliding
Democracy in decline A new report by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) bears a sombre headline: global democracy has had an awfully bad year in...
Ankara & Brussels: Turkey cannot afford a confrontation
Turkey’s economy remains in dire straits. Its currency, the Lira, has lost thirty per cent of its value against the US dollar just this year...
China, Uyghurs, forced labour: a recipe for litigation?
China’s treatment of its Uyghurs population could spark a wave of lawsuits. (more…)
In Donald Trump, North Korea loses an unlikely ally
“When Donald Trump first strides into the Oval Office as president, his perfect day is likely to be ruined by a file marked “North Korea.”...