Roundtable - "Central Asia in an Era of Multipolarity”

Abstract
With the relative decline of the United States, rise of China, resurgence of Russia, and the strengthening of new regional powers such as India and Turkey, the world is becoming more multipolar. Surrounded by China, Russia, Iran, Turkey and India, Central Asia is a key site to study the implications of burgeoning multipolarity for global politics. Russia remains assertive despite its weakening position since its invasion of Ukraine. Over the past decade, China has increased its role as a provider of security in Central Asia, selling arms, organizing joint exercises and border patrols, and opening its first military facility in the region. Turkey is upgrading its ties with Central Asia, rebranding the Organization of Turkic States and expanding its mission. The U.S. interest in the region has waned since the August 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, although it remains concerned about Russia and China’s influence in an era of “strategic competition.” At the same time, the Central Asian republics are striving to maintain their multivector foreign policies, developing denser ties between themselves, using these as a means to assert their agency in addressing regional issues. The speakers will address the changing international relations of Central Asia in this period of flux.

Speakers

Dr. Nodir Ganiev, Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Stockholm

Dr. Edward Lemon, Research Assistant Professor at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University, USA, and President of the Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs. 

Moderated by Mark Bassin