Tariq Saeedi There is a particular kind of confidence that comes with dominance. It is the confidence of a power that has won — militarily, economically, culturally — and has begun, almost unconsciously, to regard its position as the natural order of things. Rome had it. Britain had it. And for much of the twentieth century, the United States has had it too. History, … [Read more...]
The Silk Road Worked Because It Belonged to Everyone
Tariq Saeedi There is a growing tendency today to speak about trade corridors as instruments of strategy, influence, and competition. Maps are drawn with arrows pointing around rivals, past adversaries, and away from inconvenient neighbors. Connectivity is increasingly discussed in the language of exclusion. History offers a different lesson. What we now call the … [Read more...]
Rediscovering Ancient Threads: The Case for Closer Ties Between Central Asia and Egypt
nCa Commentary In an era of shifting global alliances and supply chain uncertainties, countries across different regions are quietly exploring partnerships that blend historical resonance with practical modern benefits. Central Asia and Egypt represent one such pairing—distant on the map, yet connected by deep currents of history, faith, and complementary interests. While … [Read more...]
Samarkand ADB Meeting Signals Shift Toward a More Connected, Strategic Asia
nCa Report The 59th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), held from 3–6 May 2026 in Samarkand, concluded with a clear message: Asia’s future lies in connectivity—across energy systems, digital networks, and supply chains. Bringing together more than 3,000–4,000 delegates from nearly 70 member countries—including finance ministers, central bank governors, … [Read more...]
The ‘Resourceful’ People: A Word Central Asia Has Always Deserved
Tariq Saeedi There are words that fall out of fashion not because they lose their meaning, but because the world grows too distracted to notice what they describe. --- Resourceful is one such word. It has quietly slipped from the vocabulary of praise — edged out by innovative, resilient, agile, a revolving door of corporate euphemisms that flatten rather than illuminate. … [Read more...]
The statecraft we never learned: forgiveness as strategy
Tariq Saeedi A case for reordering the emotional architecture of power --- "The space allotted to forgiveness and tolerance is the space denied to resentment, anger, and bravado." We were not trained for this. The academies, the war colleges, the diplomatic seminars — none of them put forgiveness on the syllabus. Deterrence, yes. Coercive bargaining, certainly. The … [Read more...]
The Question Before the Answer: Diplomacy and the Power of Words
Tariq Saeedi I once knew someone who was, simultaneously, my mentor and my tormentor. He had a habit of teaching through ambush. One afternoon, after a long stretch of silence between us, he shifted in his seat and said, almost casually, “We should not kill the horse in the afternoon.” The remark landed without context, abrupt and unsettling. I took the bait. “When … [Read more...]
Dynamic Triangular Partnership: Rethinking Diplomacy in an Unstable World
Tariq Saeedi For much of modern diplomatic history, the world has been explained through bilateral relationships. Two countries sign agreements, build pipelines, exchange goods, and manage tensions. The simplicity of this model has always been its strength—and its limitation. That world no longer exists. We now live in an era where connectivity is instantaneous, supply … [Read more...]
Neutrality: A Shield for Childhood, A Foundation for Future Generations
Tariq Saeedi Have you seen the pictures of children in a conflict zone? They haunt the conscience of every generation touched by conflict: a child's eyes, old beyond their years, reflecting a world where playgrounds have become battlegrounds and lullabies have been replaced by air raid sirens. This is not merely a tragedy of war—it is the theft of childhood itself, the … [Read more...]
Neutrality of Turkmenistan – Dynamic harmony of a living organism
A personal exploration of whether three decades of evolution have brought Turkmenistan's neutrality to a state of natural balance Tariq Saeedi Many years ago, traveling near the borders of Iran and Pakistan, I witnessed something that has stayed with me ever since—a perfect demonstration of harmony in its purest form. --- A teenage shepherd was tending his small … [Read more...]
Central Asia Gears Up for Historic C5+1 Summit with Trump: A Mix of Optimism and Caution
Tariq Saeedi As the world watches the evolving dynamics of global diplomacy, the upcoming C5+1 summit in Washington, D.C., on November 6, 2025, is generating significant buzz across Central Asia and beyond. This gathering, marking the 10th anniversary of the C5+1 format that brings together the United States and the five Central Asian republics—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, … [Read more...]
Equality and Mutual Respect
Tariq Saeedi ‘Equality and mutual respect’ is more than a utopian concept in international relations. It is an important and useful instrument in the modern diplomacy. Where Did the Idea of Equality and Mutual Respect Between Nations Come From? The idea that all countries should be treated as equals goes back to 1648 and … [Read more...]
Central Asia and the Law of Proximity
Tariq Saeedi Have you ever noticed how you're more likely to strike up a friendship with the person sitting next to you in class or the neighbor across the street than someone halfway across the world? It's not just coincidence—it's this fascinating idea called the ‘Law of Proximity’ from social psychology. Basically, it boils down to the fact that physical closeness … [Read more...]
The Theory of Double Quagmire: Why Every War Becomes Everyone’s War
Tariq Saeedi Last month, while watching yet another news briefing about escalating tensions somewhere in the world, I found myself thinking about quicksand. Not because I'm particularly fascinated by natural hazards, but because the metaphor kept forcing itself into my mind as I listened to officials explain their "limited engagement" and "targeted objectives." We've … [Read more...]
Peace is Strength, Not Weakness
Tariq Saeedi “Peace is not about dodging a fight or waving a white flag. It’s about standing your ground, knowing your strength, and choosing not to swing,” said Mama Wanjiru. “Peace doesn’t flinch; Peace is the real strength,” she added forcefully, as she splashed a ladle of stewed vegetables on my plate of ugali. Mama Wanjiru sold home-cooked ugali, a kind of … [Read more...]
Turkmenistan’s Permanent Neutrality: An Active Philosophy for Building Trust
Expert Derya Soysal In a world increasingly shaped by geopolitical tensions and divided alliances, Turkmenistan's status of permanent neutrality stands out as a deliberate and constructive approach to diplomacy. Recently reaffirmed by the United Nations General Assembly for the third time, this unique stance is more than a foreign policy label—it is a constitutional … [Read more...]
Some connectible dots
Tariq Saeedi Here are some connectible dots: 1.Brutus says in Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar:There is a tide in the affairs of men.Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;Omitted, all the voyage of their lifeIs bound in shallows and in miseries.On such a full sea are we now afloat,And we must take the current when it serves,Or lose our ventures. 2.The … [Read more...]
Germany is economic powerhouse of Europe and a natural partner for Central Asia
Tariq Saeedi Germany is the economic powerhouse of Europe. It is the third largest economy in the world. The size of the German economy is simply impressive considering that it has always paid a heavy price for the broader cooperation in Europe. Germany also has an impeccable record of fulfilling its commitments. The roots are in the national psyche where the sense of … [Read more...]