Eurasianet

Letters from Washington, cybersecurity cooperation with China, and negotiating with a bankrupt Taliban. This and more in our weekly briefing.

Kazakhstan is moving through the production cycle, powered by Chinese demand.

Kazakh exporters say China is pushing them aside, interested in a transit corridor but not a supplier.

Government agencies and Kazakh-Chinese companies are using the pandemic to shield themselves from scrutiny.

That sets them apart from Afghanistan’s other post-Soviet neighbor, Tajikistan.

In our weekly briefing: doing business with Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. Plus, it’s reprimand season.

Two new papers find that Georgia and Azerbaijan would gain more from improving trade with their neighbors than pursing a place on the Belt and Road.

While clumsy on COVID-19, Turkmenistan is being more sure-footed, or consistent at least, on the Afghanistan front. Plus, unsustainable agriculture. Our weekly briefing.

Bunin has also been banned from entering Uzbekistan.

The government signals it is taking COVID a bit more seriously, without admitting the virus is running rampant. And Ashgabat gets down to business with the Taliban. This and more in our weekly briefing.

Iran and Georgia considered as alternatives.

Despite ambitions for Karabakh reconstruction, the government's overall construction budget has barely budged.

The country already leads in vaccination rates in the South Caucasus. Many expect the new rules to drive a black market for fake vaccination passports.

Ashgabat has great confidence these days in its Europe-bound exports. Plus, a mysterious tragedy on the Afghan border. Our weekly Turkmenistan briefing.

Tajik officials no longer speak about the militants with complete disdain.