The security sectors of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are corrupt, lack democratic control and can even be a threat to the population. Security sector reform is urgently needed but not always welcome. How can Europe help?
EUCAM has launched a new policy brief series. Whereas the European Union has consolidated its approach to Central Asia, many European countries (including non-EU members) have developed national policies towards Central Asia or particular countries in the region. The 'European National Policy Series' seeks to map the policies of European states towards Central Asia in the fields of politics and values, trade and energy, security; and developing assistance.
EUCAM has launched a new policy brief series. Whereas the European Union has consolidated its approach to Central Asia, many European countries (including non-EU members) have developed national policies towards Central Asia or particular countries in the region. The 'European National Policy Series' seeks to map the policies of European states towards Central Asia in the fields of politics and values, trade and energy, security; and developing assistance.
EUCAM has launched a new policy brief series. Whereas the European Union has consolidated its approach to Central Asia, many European countries (including non-EU members) have developed national policies towards Central Asia or particular countries in the region. The 'European National Policy Series' seeks to map the policies of European states towards Central Asia in the fields of politics and values, trade and energy, security; and developing assistance.
EUCAM has launched a new policy brief series. Whereas the European Union has consolidated its approach to Central Asia, many European countries (including non-EU members) have developed national policies towards Central Asia or particular countries in the region. The 'European National Policy Series' seeks to map the policies of European states towards Central Asia in the fields of politics and values, trade and energy, security; and developing assistance.
EUCAM has launched a new policy brief series. Whereas the European Union has consolidated its approach to Central Asia, many European countries (including non-EU members) have developed national policies towards Central Asia or particular countries in the region. The 'European National Policy Series' seeks to map the policies of European states towards Central Asia in the fields of politics and values, trade and energy, security; and developing assistance.
The EU has signalled education as a priority for its support to Central Asia. Specific activities include attempts to establish regular regional and bilateral dialogues; assistance in reforming higher and vocational education; programmes to facilitate academic exchanges; and e-networking.
As the 2014 NATO drawdown from Afghanistan approaches, how is the Central Asia-Afghanistan relationship developing, and what role can the EU take in fostering regional dynamics?
EU humanitarian assistance to Central Asia is often overlooked as an essential ingredient of EU policy towards Central Asia.
Tajikistan is a poor and underdeveloped country that is partly dependent on external donor support. The country faces a series of threats to its stability. How do European donors approach Tajikistan and can this approach be seen as part of a security-development nexus?
Five years after the launch of the EU Strategy for Central Asia, most of the Strategy’s original goals have not been achieved. If the EU is to emerge as a significant player in this important region, it should build its strategy around what it does best: promoting liberal-democratic forms of modernisation and comprehensive approaches to security.
The OSCE and other donors have been actively engaged in assisting Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in police reform. But the reform process has been slow and has failed to meet donor expectations.
As the EU, the United States does not consider Eurasia as its main foreign policy focus and will continue to embed Central Asia within a more global agenda. However, in contrast to the European approach, the United States’ new emphasis on its strategic interests in the Asia-Pacific region and the maintenance of the focus on a ‘greater Middle-East’, as defined in the new US Defense Strategic Review, confirms that the relationship to China and South Asia will be a key element in the American reading of Central Asia’s future.
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Mongolia is of increasing interest to the European Union because of its democratisation, its impressive economic growth and its substantial contributions to peace and security. The EU should consider including Mongolia in its Strategy for Central Asia.
The EU has a new Special Representative for Central Asia. The appointment of Patricia Flor from Germany was announced on 18 June. EUCAM proposes ten areas on which the new EUSR should focus, to make her mark in Central Asia.
International support for democracy has had little impact in Central Asia and has become a secondary objective after human rights monitoring and promoting rule of law reform. Is Central Asia a no-go area for democracy promoters or are there any entry points?
China and Russia are the most influential external actors in Central Asia, while the EU has substantially increased its activity and presence in the region since 2007.
Central Asia is a difficult region for the EU to promote its values. What measures could be taken to strengthen current assistance mechanisms?
The European Union is a security actor in Central Asia, although one of modest proportion. This does not dispense with the need for the EU to provide a better security narrative, especially in light of its growing emphasis on human security.
The EU argues in its Central Asia policy that it wants to take greater account of Afghanistan. But what does this mean in practice? Can the Central Asian states play a positive role in Afghanistan together with Western actors?
El 15 de junio tuvo lugar en Astana, la capital de Kazajstán, la celebración del décimo aniversario de la Organización de Cooperación de Shanghai (SCO), para celebrar los logros conseguidos en la última década y presentar sus planes para el futuro. En contra de todas las predicciones, la OCS se ha convertido en los últimos diez años en una organización con una sólida estructura capaz de gestionar su colaboración en materia de seguridad, economía, transporte, ayuda en caso de catástrofe, cumplimiento de la ley, cultura, etc.
Last year Kyrgyzstan went through a turbulent period of political transition and inter-ethnic violence. How durable is its current stability and what are the expectations for the presidential elections?
All five Central Asian states are weak in terms of rule of law, good governance and democracy. The EU chose to devote specific attention to the rule of law through a regional initiative with Central Asian partners' participation. What is the current state of the initiative and is the EU on track?
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What lessons can be learnt by the EU from the 2010 OSCE Kazakhstan chairmanship? Has the chairmanship furthered relations between the EU and Central Asia, did it result in domestic reform in Kazakhstan and what has been the effect of the chairmanship on the OSCE as an institution?
Structured human rights dialogues are held with each of the five Central Asian republics. But is improvement in human rights noticeable in the region? This policy brief reviews and evaluates the dialogues to date and provides recommendations on what could be improved with regard to planning and procedures.
The European Union and Central Asia are increasingly becoming neighbours. Through the 2007 EU Strategy for Central Asia, Brussels has been stepping up engagement with the region on many policy areas.
How can the EU further its policy towards Turkmenistan and reconcile democratic values with energy interests?
How should the water of the Central Asian rivers be used? This question has resulted in a security threat between upsteam and downstream countries. Is there a solution?
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This report evaluates the way in which the Strategy for Central Asia forms part of the EU’s worldview, and suggests some courses of action for Europe in light of its new foreign policy responsibilities.
This policy brief serves as a summary of the EUCAM report Into EurAsia – Monitoring the EU’s Central Asia Strategy.
The EU Education Initiative for Central Asia aims to increase cooperation in the field of higher education and vocational education.
European Union assistance in general and to Central Asia in particular is a complicated, many sided and fairly opaque business. Has the EU got its priorities right and can it make a positive impact in Central Asia through technical assistance?
Is Tajikistan’s stability at risk as a result of economic decline, energy shortages and it’s proximity to Afghanistan? What can the EU do to help this poor and troubled Central Asian state?
As the world considers how best to regulate the ‘virtual reality’ of online information exchange and communication, Kazakhstan has taken a tough and clearly
disproportionate step to tighten its grip on the internet.