By Marat Terterov, PhD, Founder, and former Executive Director of the EGF

Small countries often find themselves having to make difficult choices when it comes to navigating optimal pathways for their national development. Their relations with larger powers, as well as competing relations between larger powers with an interest in specific regions where small countries are located, will invariably impact on their development. One of the regions of the world where the impact of larger powers on the development of smaller countries is highly evident is the South Caucasus, a region of the former-Soviet Union predominantly associated with the countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. These three relatively small yet important countries in a region of strategic importance have come a long way since they became independent nation states following the collapse of the Soviet Union at the end of 1991. READ MORE

By Yeghia TASHJIAN, Beirut-based regional analyst and researcher, columnist, "The Armenian Weekly”

On January 14, 2025, as U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration breathed its last days, Armenia and the United States signed a Strategic Partnership Charter in Washington, D.C. The document was signed by Armenia’s Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. This article will highlight the key points of the agreement and present a reflection and analysis on how Armenia can benefit from the Charter to pursue its foreign policy goals, amid the regional reaction and the Azerbaijani president’s recent threats against Yerevan.
As per the agreement, both countries affirm the importance of their relationship as “friends and strategic partners.” They emphasize that this cooperation is based on “shared values and common interests,” which include democracy, economic freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. They also aim to collaborate on innovation and technological advances, bolster energy security and strengthen their relationship in the fields of education, science, culture, rule of law, defence, and security. READ MORE

Gayrat Khonnazarov, Editor-in-Chief, UzA news agency

The Republic of Uzbekistan has demonstrated significant success in the international arena, strengthening its active participation in the United Nations (UN) and its specialized agencies. In 2024, the country achieved a number of key milestones that underline its commitment to universal principles and standards in the areas of human rights, socio-economic development, labor, and global cooperation. READ MORE

Ozodbek Nazarbekov, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Culture and art are the foundation of civilization, national identity, and spiritual perfection, as well as important indicators of a country’s progress. The development of these spheres, reflecting the spiritual growth of the people, their past, present, and future, requires an approach that meets the demands of the times. This is why the reforms aimed at the development of culture and art in Uzbekistan carry profound meaning and are entering a new phase. READ MORE

Nilufar Doniyorkhodjaeva,
Head of Department Development Strategy Center,
Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan has been undergoing a transformational journey since it changed political leadership in 2016. The nation is implementing extensive reforms aimed at spanning anti-corruption measures, business climate enhancements, judicial reforms, improving labour conditions, administrative efficiency, protection of human rights, and good governance. READ MORE

Qudratilla Rafikov, Political scientist

In the speech of our President at a recent meeting with activists of Jizzakh region, one point caught the attention of most of the people. In it, the head of state said the following: "If God gives me health and life, the days will come when we will not have poverty and unemployment. I have devoted seven years of my life to this, created a system for this, created laws, opened the world. I came to this position, so that my people would live well, so that their dreams would come true, so that their children would live in prosperity and be happy, so that their grandchildren would be born healthy, so that medicine would work, schools would work, roads would be smooth...". READ MORE

Roxila Mardonkulovna Usmanova, Doctoral Student, Institute of Family and Gender Research, Republic of Uzbekistan

Special attention is being paid to further enhancing the status of women in the new Uzbek society and ensuring their rights as a priority value. Gender equality is recognized as a social phenomenon that permeates all aspects of the life and activities of society, encompassing politics, economics, law, ideology, culture, education, and science, shaping the dynamics between women and men. In the words of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoev, "The stereotype formed in the minds of our people makes me think about many things. Traditionally, we perceive a woman first and foremost as a mother, a keeper of the family hearth. This is undoubtedly true. However, today not every woman should not be just an observer, she should be an active and proactive participant in the democratic changes taking place in the country." Therefore, it can be asserted without exaggeration that in recent years, increasing the political, social, and economic engagement of women in Uzbek society has emerged as a top priority of state policy, driven by the political will of the Uzbekistani leadership. READ MORE

The ongoing reform to enhance the democratic state governance system in New Uzbekistan is being implemented under the principle of "The state serves the people, not vice versa."

Indeed, today, social advancement is inseparable from the consolidation of the state, fostering active societal engagement, shaping positive attitudes of the state servant towards society, serving the people, ensuring individual satisfaction, promoting honesty, and establishing justice, all of which are essential in modernizing social progress. The enactment of the Law "On Public Service" represents another example of the people-oriented policy pursued by our President. READ MORE