Eurasia Center

Eurasia Center The Eurasia Center is a 501(c)(3) federally recognized non-profit organization promoting positive relations between America and the 103 nations of Eurasia

More pictures from Ralph Winnie’s visit to Kazakhstan. The referendum to amend Kazakhstan’s constitution might change Ka...
05/05/2026

More pictures from Ralph Winnie’s visit to Kazakhstan. The referendum to amend Kazakhstan’s constitution might change Kazakhstan’s foreign policy. Under the old constitution, international laws and treaties were allowed to take precedence over domestic laws, but the new constitution allows domestic laws to have more power than treaties. Kazakhstan’s foreign policy has been described as a balance between Europe, Russia, and China. By allowing domestic laws to have more power, the Kazakh government will be able to decide which foreign countries will have more influence. More information on how the constitution changes foreign policy can be found in articles by The National Interest and Chatham House, and on the Eurasia Center’s Central Asia website.

https://www.chathamhouse.org/2026/03/kazakhstan-referendum-new-constitution-demonstrates-diminishing-interest-western-values

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/silk-road-rivalries/how-to-understand-kazakhstans-new-constitution

https://www.eurasiacenter.org/central-asia

More pictures from Ralph Winnie's visit to Kazakhstan during the vote on a constitutional referendum. Kazakhstan's new c...
04/24/2026

More pictures from Ralph Winnie's visit to Kazakhstan during the vote on a constitutional referendum. Kazakhstan's new constitution will increase the power of the president. The constitution abolishes the country's Senate, and powers that had been given to the Senate will now be given to the President. This includes appointing and dismissing government officials. The President will also appoint members of the People's Council, a body that can introduce legislation to Parliament. Although the new constitution might make passing legislation easier, there are concerns it will limit the power of Parliament. For more information about recent elections and referendums in other countries, visit the website of the Eurasia Center's Civil Society Program.

https://www.eurasiacenter.org/civil-society-program

Ralph Winnie, Vice President of Global Business Development at the Eurasia Center visited Kazakhstan as voters approved ...
03/22/2026

Ralph Winnie, Vice President of Global Business Development at the Eurasia Center visited Kazakhstan as voters approved a new constitution in a referendum. Ralph Winnie said there was high voter turnout, and the media accurately reported information about the new constitution. The new constitution will change Parliament from being bicameral to unicameral, and reinstate the Vice Presidency that was abolished in 1996. Additionally, the Kazakh Language will be used alongside Russian. While Kazakhstan was part of the Soviet Union, the government mostly used the Russian Language. Since the country's independence, the government has supported increasing the use of Kazakh.

For more information about politics in Kazakhstan, visit the website of the Eurasia Center's Central Asia program, and news articles about the referendum by 24 KZ, Otyrar, and Kazinform.

https://www.eurasiacenter.org/central-asia

https://24.kz/ru/news/social/758631-mezhdunarodnyj-nablyudatel-o-podgotovke-k-referendumu

https://otyrar.kz/2026/03/nablyudateli-ot-mezhdunarodnyh-organizaczij-bylo-bolshe-lyudej-kotorye-golosuyut-vpervye/

https://www.inform.kz/ru/mezhdunarodniy-nablyudatel-iz-ssha-dal-otsenku-referendumu

Photo Credit: Kazinform

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba met with Kenyan President William Ruto and other leaders at the Tokyo Conference ...
08/23/2025

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba met with Kenyan President William Ruto and other leaders at the Tokyo Conference on International Development on August 20. At the meeting, Ishiba proposed the Indian Ocean Africa Economic Zone Initiative to increase investment and aid to Africa from Japanese companies operating in India and the Middle East. Ishiba's support for increased investment in Africa has occurred after aid to Africa from the U.S. decreased due to Donald Trump eliminating most programs at the U.S. Agency for International Development. Without investment from the U.S., China will have a larger influence in Africa through the Belt and Road Global Infrastructure Initiative, but it is possible Japan's investments could decrease China's influence in Africa.

For more information on which countries have given aid to Africa, visit the website of the Eurasia Center's Uplifting Africa Program. https://www.upliftingafrica.org/

Photo Credit: Inkl

On August 5, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans announced the Netherlands would buy missiles and other weapons from...
08/16/2025

On August 5, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans announced the Netherlands would buy missiles and other weapons from the U.S. for $500 million to give to Ukraine for fighting against Russia. Other members of NATO, including Germany and Norway, also bought air defense systems from the U.S. to give to Ukraine. The purchase of weapons by NATO members from the U.S. has occurred though the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL). The PURL was created because President Trump opposed the U.S. increasing the amount of aid given to Ukraine, but agreed to allow weapons to be sent to Ukraine if they were paid for by other countries. The Netherlands, Germany, and Norway’s support for Ukraine shows NATO members have disagreed with Trump’s Ukraine policy, and are more concerned about the war.

For more information on the Russia-Ukraine War, visit the website of the Ukraine Program. https://www.eurasiacenter.org/ukraine

Photo credit: Radio Free Europe

Several countries - including Australia, Canada, France, Malta, and the UK – announced plans to recognize Palestine as i...
08/16/2025

Several countries - including Australia, Canada, France, Malta, and the UK – announced plans to recognize Palestine as independent country in July and August 2025. In response to other countries supporting Palestine, Israel plans to build more settlements in the West Bank. All settlements are considered illegal under international law, and are an important cause of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The most controversial planned settlement is E1, which would connect East Jersualem to the Israeli settlement Maale Adumim. Palestine has wanted East Jerusalem to be recognized as its capital city, but the construction of the E1 settlement would cause East Jerusalem to be almost entirely surrounded by Israeli settlements. If East Jerusalem is cut off from the rest of the West Bank, a two-state solution will become much more difficult. Although other countries recognizing Palestine and supporting an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is important, a two-state solution will not occur if more settlements are built in the West Bank.

For more information on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, visit the Middle East Program’s website. https://www.eurasiacenter.org/middle-east-new

Map credit: Jewish Virtual Library

President Trump's tariffs were expected to slow economic growth in a number of countries, including China. However, the ...
07/19/2025

President Trump's tariffs were expected to slow economic growth in a number of countries, including China. However, the National Bureau of Statistics reported China's GDP in the second quarter (April to June) was 5% higher than in the second quarter of 2024. During the second quarter, there was an increase in the manufacturing of vehicles and electronics. Trump's tariffs include a minimum 30% tax on goods from China, but the tax for some goods has been as high as 145%. Since Trump increased tariffs, China's trade with countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has increased. Since 2022, China has been negotiating a trade agreement with ASEAN that will reduce tariffs. The signing of a new agreement is expected to occur by the end of the year.

For more information about China's economy and trading partners, visit the website of the Eurasia Center's China program.
https://www.eurasiacenter.org/china

Photo Credit: ASEAN Briefing

Kim Jong Un met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss North Korea's support for Russia in the Ukraine W...
07/15/2025

Kim Jong Un met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss North Korea's support for Russia in the Ukraine War. North Korea plans to send 25,000 to 30,000 soldiers to Russia to fight in the war, in addition to the 11,000 soldiers sent in 2024. Since the war began, North Korea has also sent over 100 missiles to Russia. During the meeting, Lavrov criticized South Korea, Japan, and the U.S. for military buildups near North Korea. There are concerns in these countries that Russia might help North Korea create more dangerous missiles. For more information about which countries have supported Russia in the Ukraine war, visit the website of the Eurasia Center's Russia Program.

https://www.eurasiacenter.org/copy-of-europe9ebd9d07

Photo Credit: CNN

Africa’s longest serving president is all set to continue for yet another term. Paul Biya, the 92 year old President of ...
07/14/2025

Africa’s longest serving president is all set to continue for yet another term. Paul Biya, the 92 year old President of Cameroon, looks to run for an eighth term and confirms his intent to run in the October elections.

The announcement is relatively surprising after there has been continued speculation about the politician’s health especially following his 42 day disappearance in the recent past. The rumors got so intense that news of his death spread through the country last year, forcing the government to officially make a statement.

Biya’s administration have run into several challenges in the past including talks of corruption, conflicts with military forces, as well as separatist issues.

Human rights leaders predict this move to be unfavorable for Cameroon as its success would mark yet another period of monotony instead of a time of change with many believing that the country is in need of dramatic renewal.

Read more about Africa and other world news at eurasiacenter.org

Image Credit: Amanda Lucidon

Gold prices have seen a record-high in 2025 making it a relatively stable investment opportunity for most. However, its ...
07/08/2025

Gold prices have seen a record-high in 2025 making it a relatively stable investment opportunity for most. However, its mining practices are still tied to conflict and issues for the workers involved.

The military governments in the Sahel region of West Africa, which consists of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, all recognize these high prices as a way to fund their regimes and counterinsurgency operations against jihadist groups. The problem with this is that everyone wants a piece of the pie and now militias, jihadist groups, and even certain Russian parties are battling for control in this highly unregulated practice. The lack of uniformed regulation is what leads to large amounts of the revenue going to governments, armed groups, and foreign mercenaries, with little going to the actual workers toiling under the sun. Moreover, most of the gold ends up in the UAE, where it gets refined and shipped off to other markets globally, making it impossible to trace.

Without regulation and action, gold will unfortunately continue to advance conflict and suffering in the Sahel. Learn more about Africa and other world news at eurasiacenter.org

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