Central Asia is facing growing water stress after five consecutive years of drought, with rising temperatures, depleted soil moisture and shrinking groundwater reserves placing increasing pressure on the region, according to a new EU report.
Kazakhstan has reiterated that no existing route can replace the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which carries more than 80% of the country's crude oil exports through Russia to the Black Sea.
Tajikistan is hosting the Fourth International Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development” in Dushanbe from 25 to 28 May, bringing together more than 2,500 participants from governments, international organisations and financial institutions.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called for closer security coordination between Central Asia and China, warning that expanding trade and infrastructure links are exposing the region to increasingly sophisticated cross-border threats.
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are negotiating summer water allocations as rising temperatures, agricultural demand and pressure on shared rivers intensify water security concerns across Central Asia.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev is participating in the informal summit of the heads of state of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Turkistan, Kazakhstan, on 15 May. The summit focuses on regional cooperation, digital development and transport connectivity.
Central Asia is entering a period of acute water stress as glacier melt accelerates and ageing infrastructure wastes up to 40% of water supplies, fuelling concerns over food security and regional stability.
A new multimodal trade corridor through Central Asia is expected to cut cargo transit times between China and Afghanistan from 55 to 30 days, offering an alternative to increasingly unstable maritime shipping routes.
Central Asian countries are stepping up investment in renewable energy as governments across the region seek to strengthen energy security and prepare for mounting environmental pressures.
Almaty is hosting GITEX AI Kazakhstan 2026 two-day event, drawing global tech firms and investors as Central Asia gains attention as a fast developing digital market. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited the GITEX AI Central Asia & Caucasus exhibition in Almaty on 4 May.
Tourism across Central Asia is expanding rapidly, with millions of visitors arriving each year as the region becomes an increasingly competitive global travel destination, though growth rates vary significantly between countries.
Afghan and Russian officials have discussed expanding political, economic and security cooperation during talks in Kabul, Afghan ministries said.
Kazakhstan has ratified a regional green energy agreement with Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, signalling Central Asia’s ambition to become a key supplier of renewable energy to international markets.
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are advancing one of Central Asia’s largest joint energy projects: the construction of the Kambarata HPP-1 hydropower plant on the Naryn River in Kyrgyzstan, with a planned capacity of nearly 2,000 megawatts.
More than 1,300 glaciers have disappeared in Tajikistan, President Emomali Rahmon has said, warning of growing strain on water resources across Central Asia.
Central Asian countries and Russia have launched a new platform for industrial cooperation, signalling a shift from traditional trade ties towards deeper production integration.
Five Central Asian states are launching a $30 million programme to tackle water scarcity and land degradation, as climate pressures and rising demand sharpen risks across the region.
Afghanistan and Uzbekistan have agreed to strengthen research and policy cooperation following a roundtable in Tashkent focused on trade, connectivity and regional ties, according to official statements from both sides.
Kazakhstan has reported a sharp fall in oil production, with both output and exports declining in the first quarter of the year, according to government officials. The drop is now affecting the structure of economic growth, even as the country records 3% GDP growth.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the president of Kazakhstan, said on Friday (10 April) that a parliamentary election in the Central Asian country would take place in August but stopped short of naming an exact date.
Uzbekistan and the U.S. are preparing to launch a joint investment platform by the end of the year, alongside the creation of a new bilateral business council aimed at strengthening economic cooperation.
Central Asia is stepping up efforts to address rapid glacier melt, following United Nations warnings of unprecedented climate pressure on mountain ecosystems.
Uzbekistan is pursuing a dual-track development strategy, combining the expansion of its energy sector with an ambitious environmental agenda, as new oil and gas projects on the Ustyurt Plateau progress alongside large-scale greening initiatives.
Kazakhstan has adopted a new constitution that could allow President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to stay in power beyond 2029. The Central Election Commission confirmed that 87.15% of voters backed the constitution in a referendum held on Sunday (17 March).
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