Central Asia could gain up to $640 million a year from closer energy cooperation, but strained electricity grids threaten to limit those gains, with Kazakhstan particularly exposed to regional power shortages and growing pressure on its network.
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has unveiled plans to modernise infrastructure, strengthen trade links and boost electricity production in his annual address to the nation, outlining his economic priorities against a backdrop of global uncertainty.
Kazakhstan could begin building its first nuclear power plant in 2027, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on 28 October, according to Azertac. But as Central Asia steps up its energy ambitions, which countries are investing in nuclear power and which are pursuing alternatives?
Kazakhstan marks Republic Day on 25 October with an ambitious economic agenda and a growing partnership with Azerbaijan, as the two Caspian neighbours pursue a $1 billion annual bilateral trade target and expand cooperation in transport, energy and digital infrastructure.
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has praised Kazakhstan’s AI ambitions, highlighting its potential to become a global hub for Physical AI, launch startups and transform industries.
Kazakhstan is preparing sweeping military reforms after 14 service members died during exercises in the Caspian Sea. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev approved the plans on 21 October, with major changes to training, oversight and defence capabilities set to begin in 2027.
Member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) prevented 273 terrorist attacks and more than 3,000 crimes linked to terrorism, separatism and extremism in 2025, according to the bloc's regional counter-terrorism body.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Sunday for talks with Central Asian officials, as the Trump administration seeks to strengthen ties with a resource-rich region bordering China, Russia and Iran.
Kazakhstan is considering new rules governing the use of artificial intelligence in newsrooms, including requirements to label AI-generated content. The proposal was discussed at the tenth Astana Media Week, which also focused on digital threats and children's online safety.
Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) has been extended until 2028, as leaders gather in Baku for the organisation's seventh summit to discuss regional security and cooperation.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will depart on Saturday (17 October) on a five-day trip to India and Uzbekistan, the State Department said, adding that he will discuss energy cooperation in India.
Kazakhstan’s competition regulator has issued a formal warning to ride-hailing platform inDrive after fares for some journeys reportedly nearly tripled as widespread Yandex outages disrupted taxi services across Central Asia on 11 October.
Central Asian countries have agreed on water withdrawal limits and reservoir operating plans for the 2026-2027 non-growing season, with inflows into Kazakhstan’s Shardara Reservoir -- a crucial water source for agriculture --expected to reach around 10 billion cubic metres.
Kazakhstan has hosted its first Astana AI Film Festival on attracting more than 8,000 entries from 125 countries and emerging as the world’s largest international competition dedicated to AI-generated films.
The preliminary results of an investigation into Kazakhstan's armed forces have emerged. The probe was ordered by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev following the deaths of 14 servicemen during military exercises in the Caspian Sea, which resulted in the arrest of the former naval chief.
Central Asian countries are strengthening sanitary and quarantine controls amid the situation in Russia’s Irkutsk region. Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan have introduced preventive measures following the death of an employee of a plague research institute in the city of Shelekhov.
Kazakhstan’s former navy chief, Kanat Niyazbekov, has been arrested after 14 servicemen died during military exercises in the Caspian Sea in September, Russian state news agency TASS has reported, citing law enforcement authorities.
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates are exploring a new railway through Afghanistan that could open another route for Central Asian cargo to Pakistan’s seaports.
Central Asian businesses and experts are proposing closer digital integration across Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, with the aim of making it easier for technology companies to operate across a regional market of more than 80 million people.
Kazakhstan and Germany have agreed to expand cooperation in critical minerals, industry, energy and transport, with Astana seeking a greater German role in developing supply chains and higher-value production.
Robots capable of interacting with people, navigating their surroundings autonomously, supporting manufacturing and logistics operations, and providing services at large-scale facilities will be showcased at AI & Digital Bridge 2026 in Astana from 1 to 3 October.
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has dismissed Defence Minister Dauren Kosanov following the deaths of 14 servicemen during a naval exercise on the Caspian Sea.
A developing El Niño in the Pacific could become one of the strongest on record, leading to heavier rainfall and a greater risk of severe flooding in parts of Central Asia, while also worsening extreme weather in other parts of the world.
Fourteen Kazakh military personnel died after being swept out to sea during a naval training exercise in the western Mangistau region, authorities said on Thursday.
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