This week, we begin with Turkmenistan’s announcement that its e-visa system has finally gone live. On paper, this could remove a major obstacle for visitors. Tourists have traditionally needed a letter of invitation and a package from a licensed local agency, with hotels, transport and a guide arranged in advance. The new system is supposed to move the application online and eliminate the separate invitation. Yet crucial details remain unclear: the portal is difficult to locate, and the authorities have not explained eligibility, fees, processing times or whether travellers can apply without an intermediary. We ask whether this represents a genuine opening, or does it simply adds a digital layer to an unusually restrictive system?

Our second topic is the 25 percent rise in trade among the five Central Asian states. They exported $8.1 billion in goods to one another between January and July, with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan responsible for more than 80 percent of the total. We look beyond the headline at Kazakhstan’s dominant role, Uzbekistan’s expansion as both buyer and seller, Turkmen gas and electricity exports, and the threefold rebound in Kyrgyz-Tajik trade after their border reopened. The figures point to stronger regional ties, but not yet a common market. Much of the increase appears to involve larger shipments of familiar products along established routes, while smaller private exporters still face customs delays, certification rules, currency constraints and expensive logistics.

And for this week’s interview, we spoke with Zhanibek Arynov, Assistant Professor at Nazarbayev University’s Graduate School of Public Policy. His ongoing research uses focus groups with university students to test whether a Central Asian identity exists beyond official diplomacy. His preliminary findings suggest that young Kazakhs do see Central Asia as a coherent region, while remaining Kazakh first and Central Asian second. They feel closest to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, know less about Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, and show little attachment to the older, Russia-associated idea of Eurasianism. Arynov cautions, however, that enthusiasm for regional unity may partly reflect limited knowledge of neighbouring countries and of the difficult choices that closer integration would raise.

Links

* Turkmenistan Launches E-Visas and Online Registration for Foreign Citizens, Turkmenistan Information Portal

* Intra-Regional Trade in Central Asia in January–July 2026, Center for Economic Research and Reforms

* Foreign Trade of Central Asian Countries: Trends, Barriers, and Prospects, by Yuliy Yusupov

* Central Asia’s Ticket to Ride Out of Trade Isolation, by Yuliy Yusupov

* Corridors Without Coordination: Why Uzbekistan’s Digital Trade Reforms Have Not Yet Produced an Integrated Export System, by Zebo Isakova

* Zhanibek Arynov’s academic profile, Nazarbayev University

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