On the sidelines of the Astana Think Tank Forum 2025, a series of parallel events took place, dedicated to the presentation of the new digital platform for scientific knowledge InsightsCentral.Asia and analytical reports prepared by the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan (KazISS) in collaboration with local and international partners.
As part of the first day of the international forum, two major side events were held, aimed at strengthening scientific and expert cooperation and promoting regional collaboration.
The first event was devoted to the presentation of the new digital platform InsightsCentral.Asia, developed to integrate, exchange, and promote analytical and scientific research across Central Asia.
During the presentation, Aigul Kosherbayeva, Secretary for Academic and Research Affairs, KazISS, demonstrated the platform’s interface, as well as its publication search and filtering functions. She highlighted the potential of InsightsCentral.Asia as an effective tool for advancing academic cooperation and enhancing the visibility of Central Asia’s scientific achievements.
It is worth noting that the platform provides access to a vast database of scientific publications, analytical reports, and joint projects, contributing to the creation of a unified digital space for scientific interaction.
The second event in the forum’s parallel agenda featured the presentation of the report «Central Asia–Afghanistan cooperation: challenges and opportunities», prepared by KazISS experts in partnership with Uzbek colleagues and published on the new InsightsCentral.Asia platform.
The authors of the study Mukhit Assanbayev, Chief Expert, Department of International Security, KazISS; Hamza Boltaev, Senior Research Fellow, Center for Afghanistan and South Asian Studies, Institute for Advanced International Studies (Uzbekistan); and Nargiza Umarova, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Advanced International Studies, University of World Economy and Diplomacy (Uzbekistan) analyzed the strategic approaches of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to engagement with Afghanistan.
The report’s authors emphasized that Central Asia and Afghanistan are historically linked by shared cultural and economic ties.
«Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan view Afghanistan as a strategic partner and, potentially, as a transport corridor connecting Central and South Asia, as well as an important participant in the management of transboundary water resources,» said M. Assanbayev.
The agenda of the parallel sessions at the Astana Think Tank Forum 2025 underscored the strategic role of this international platform in promoting joint scientific initiatives, exchanging expert knowledge, and strengthening analytical cooperation across Central Asia.
