Uzbekistan’s strategic outlook continues to evolve. This week we examine President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s landmark state visit to Georgia, the first by an Uzbek president in more than two decades. Beyond the diplomatic symbolism, we discuss what was actually agreed: plans to deepen cooperation on the Middle Corridor, new logistics infrastructure centred on Georgia’s Black Sea ports, and a growing economic partnership that could reshape Uzbekistan’s access to European markets.
We then turn to Kyrgyzstan, where former security chief Kamchybek Tashiyev has been convicted in the high-profile “Letter of the 75” case. We assess why the suspended prison sentence matters, what it says about the relationship between President Sadyr Japarov and his former ally, and whether the latest reshuffle of the country’s security apparatus represents genuine institutional reform or simply a redistribution of power.
In our interview slot, we’re joined by Paolo Sorbello, editor of the English service of independent Kazakhstan news outlet Vlast.kz, to discuss his major recent investigation into the country’s rapidly expanding digital surveillance infrastructure. Drawing on extensive reporting, Sorbello explains how facial recognition, AI-powered CCTV, smart-city projects and large-scale data collection are becoming embedded in everyday life. We discuss the government’s case for these technologies, their role in policing and public services, and the broader questions they raise about privacy, accountability and political control.
LINKS
Paolo Sorbello’s feature on Kazakhstan’s digital surveillance system (Vlast.kz) - https://vlast.kz/english/69775-kazakhstans-big-brother.html
