Continuing the topic on water… The recent heavy rainfall in Tashkent city caught people napping, as no one was ready for such a shower with elements of hail. Please, see the results.

Low water level in the Toktogul dam of Kyrgyzstan may have a bad impact on Uzbek agriculture, for Toktogul is the main water reservoir in Fergana Valley, and Uzbekistan is already having problems with irrigation of cotton fields in its Fergana valley part. The abnormal weather – very cold winter that already changed to […]

To the celebration of 2200 years of Tashkent in 2009 the authorities and its more or less not well-thought orders made the population think about their future in this country: if it’s safe or not?
The visit of militia lieutenant early in the morning forced me to think if I’ve done something wrong with the […]

“Times of Central Asian” reports that cotton fiber production in Uzbekistan dropped 1,1 % to 728 300 tons in January to February. This information was released by State Statistics Committee, regime closed governmental organization which can only report such common things and no true information on social issues.
Production of cotton yarn at textile companies […]

Recently, to a great surprise of all, especially the Uzbek government, the world third biggest retailer and major retailer in UK Tesco had put a pioneering ban on cotton produced in Uzbekistan. The motives that lead a retailer to such a decision was the use of organized and forced child labor in producing […]

During the Bishkek summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), where Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan are members, presidents have avoided direct criticizing of the US and NATO. But there was still some criticism and tension, which involved the member states themselves. This might become yet another challenge to test the capability of […]

On 3rd-4th November of last year SOAS hosted a conference, “Cotton Sector in Central Asia: Economic Policy and Development Challenges”. The papers have now been posted at the website for the SOAS Centre of Contemporary Central Asia and the Caucasus. Naturally, there’s something for anyone interested in Central Asia: development, agriculture, politics, human rights, […]

It’s not news per se, as the international community raises the same concerns at the end of every Central Asian cotton-picking season, but here’s a reminder. Earlier this year, ICG produced a report, entitled The Curse of Cotton: Central Asia’s Destructive Monoculture, which outlined the fundamental problems - economic, environmental, social and political, besetting […]

Currently, the 11th World Lake Conference (31 October-4th November 2005) is taking place in Nairobi, Kenya. Obviously, due to the conference’s location, the focus appears to be on the great lakes of Africa. However, Klaus Topfer, executive director of the UN’s Environment Programme, has stated,
“We face increasing tensions and instability as rising populations […]