Dr Azamat Seitov analyses the second televised debates held in the run-up to the parliamentary elections in Uzbekistan. The expert notes that the country has already established a system of prime-time TV debates and praises the live broadcasts as a means of open and honest discussion. Referring to the opinions of authoritative experts, he emphasises the professionalism of the moderator, the growing dynamism of the debates and the increased competitiveness between political parties. Moreover, the active participation of candidates, who not only present their programmes but also ask each other pointed questions, is noted, indicating an increase in the level of political culture. Dr Seitov says that such debates increase voter interest and have a positive impact on the political atmosphere around elections. He concludes by calling on citizens to take a conscious approach to voting on 27 October, stressing the importance of this step for the whole country.   Read the interview on the website of the news agency UPL.uz

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua News Agency, Dr Azamat Seitov, Head of the Laboratory of Anthropology and Conflict Studies, expressed his opinion on the risks to the global economy associated with changes in US monetary policy. He noted that the reduction of the US Federal Reserve System (FRS) interest rate in the short term may increase the liquidity of the dollar and have a favourable impact on the global economy. However, in the medium and long term, this process will lead to increased volatility in financial markets, higher inflation and debt risks, especially for developing countries.   Dr Seitov stressed that the rapid movement of capital in search of higher yields, caused by lower interest rates, can increase price fluctuations in global markets and increase investment risks, in turn, the decline in the attractiveness of dollar assets can affect the fluctuations of the dollar exchange rate. The expert added that manipulation of the US monetary policy, especially in the run-up to the presidential election, could have negative consequences for the global economy, intensifying the cycle of «prosperity-crisis-downturn».   Read the interview on the Xinhua News Agency’s website

Islomkhon Gafarov expressed his views on Uzbekistan’s active foreign policy and regional cooperation on a recent edition of Mahalla TV’s MINBAR programme. Noting that Central Asian countries have significantly strengthened their co-operation in recent years, which has allowed resolving many long-standing sensitive issues, including delimitation and demarcation of state borders, as well as effective management of transboundary water resources, the expert stressed that these achievements have become possible due to joint efforts and political will of the region’s countries aimed at ensuring stability and sustainable development. In turn, the resolution of border issues has contributed to reducing potential conflicts and building trust between states, which has a positive impact on regional security.   However, according to Islomkhon Gafarov, despite the successes achieved, the region still faces several economic challenges. The lack of direct access to the world’s oceans forces Central Asian countries to seek alternative transport corridors for exporting and importing goods. The most promising direction in this context is South Asia, through which the nearest access to the ocean lies. Establishing close economic and infrastructural ties with the states of this region could significantly increase the trade and economic potential of Central Asia.   The expert added that the issue of stability and security in Afghanistan, through which the key routes linking Central Asia to southern markets pass, is of particular importance in this regard. Afghanistan’s sustainable development and security on its territory are prerequisites for the realisation of long-term transport and economic projects, which makes strengthening cooperation with the Afghan authorities an important aspect of regional policy.

Dr Azamat Seitov, Head of the IAIS Centre for Anthropology and Conflict Studies, shared his reflections on the centuries-old values of Kyrgyz-Uzbek friendship in a recent interview with the Kyrgyz national news agency “Kabar”. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov’s gift of a car to Uzbek coach Akmal Khasanov provoked a positive response in Uzbekistan and Central Asia. The expert noted the symbolism of the gesture, emphasising the importance of the car as the modern equivalent of a horse in Turkic culture. He also recalled a similar gesture by the President of Uzbekistan towards a Kyrgyz akyn, which was warmly received in Kyrgyzstan.   Dr Seitov stressed the importance of sports diplomacy in strengthening relations between the two countries. He noted the success of Kyrgyz boxer Munarbek Seyitbek uulu at the Paris Olympics and the role of the Uzbek coach in his victory. The expert also drew attention to the development of sports in Kyrgyzstan, particularly football, and noted that the country is showing better and better results in international competitions.   Summarising the interview, it was noted by the expert that sport plays an important role in people-to-people diplomacy, helping to strengthen friendly relations between countries. Events such as joint training, exchange of experience and mutual support in sports help to create strong ties between the peoples of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, demonstrating unity and mutual understanding in the international arena.   Read the full interview (in Rusiian)

Continuing the discussion of the US presidential debates, experts Islomkhon Gafarov and Fazliddin Djamalov presented a detailed analysis on the air of the “International View” programme on Uzbekistan 24 TV channel.   Fazliddin Djamalov drew attention to the fundamental differences between the Trump-Biden and Trump-Harris debates, emphasising that the current debate was broadcast by ABC News, which traditionally demonstrates sympathy for the Democratic Party, and therefore the moderators’ references to Trump were much sharper. It is also noted that Kamala Harris, due to her experience as attorney general, spoke confidently, putting forward clear and precise proposals to support the middle class, minorities and socially vulnerable groups, as well as presenting a fiscal policy plan.   In Islomkhon Gafarov’s opinion, Trump, for his part, focused on the country’s migration problems without proposing practical economic measures. However, given the experience of his participation in several previous presidential debates, this time he behaved more restrained. The expert added that, according to some editions, this gave Trump a slight advantage in the polls – about 1 per cent, which can be considered a good result.

On 10 September this year, the first televised debate between presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump took place in the United States of America. In this regard, IAIS researcher Islomkhon Gafarov took part in the programme “Geopolitics” of the information and analytical agency Kun.uz and gave an expert assessment of the results of these debates.   In the opinion of most editions, the Democrat candidate K. Harris won the debate, but, according to the expert, the political equality between the candidates has been preserved. Islomkhon Gafarov added that Harris focused on the middle class and small business, while Trump expressed his opinion on migration in his speech. In addition, the candidates highlighted geopolitical processes in Europe, the Middle East, East Asia and Afghanistan, as well as the role of the US in overcoming these challenges. The expert regarded this debate not just as a struggle between the two candidates, but as a struggle between the ideas of internationalism of the Democrats and isolationism of the Republicans.