Week in Review: COP29, Dress Codes, and More

Orda has put together a brief synopsis of this past week's news.

Tbilisi once again witnessed protesters taking the streets. Oppositionists to the current government presented their demands to re-hold recent elections, reiterating assertions on election manipulations. RFE/RL's Georgian service wrote about a small related victory: a district court annulled the election results in 30 precincts over voting secrecy violations. But the victory was short-lived; The Tbilisi Court of Appeals overturned the rulings, rejecting further appeals.

On the same day, Azerbaijan and Iran commenced joint naval drills in the Caspian Sea. These drills draw attention considering the strained ties between the two countries, which have gone as far as military drills on borders. Later in the week, Armenia justified its military equipment purchases. The country Azerbaijan has been more than just at odds with stated they aim solely at increasing defense capability.

In the same justification, The Armenian Security Council secretary, Armen Grigoryan, floated a curious statement: the Russian Federation's share in Armenia's military-technical cooperation has decreased from 96% in 2020 to less than 10%. On a more global scale, Yerevan has yet to confirm its participation in Baku's widely advertised COP2, while Armenian NGOs claimed that Baku is using the platform to cast a veil over its shortcomings in protecting rights and the environment.

In a fellow Caucus country, rumors ran hot that Chechnya would pursue "mandatory hijab-wearing." The country's religious leaders quickly dismissed them, though. The claims emerged following Vladimir region authorities' recent ban on wearing clothes "demonstrating religious affiliation"  in educational institutions. A public clash of words involving Chechen and Dagestani officials, along with Russian war bloggers, came afterward.

President Sadyr Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov also held a meeting on a new draft law that has caused a public response. He discussed the law "On Freedom of Religion and Religious Organizations in the Kyrgyz Republic" with religious leaders on November 8. In August, Kyrgyzstan's State Commission for Religious Affairs initiated amendments to the law. They proposed introducing a ban on clothing that prevents identification in government agencies and public places, among other things.

News concerning Tajikistan's similar law banning "foreign clothing," including the hijab, appeared the previous week. Reports surfaced that a Taliban field commander apologized to the Tajik President Emomali Rahmon. The Apology was for his earlier statements regarding the law. The Apology is undoubtedly striking, considering the Taliban's previous threats addressed toward Dushanbe. Nastoyshye Vremya reports there is reason to believe that Dushanbe and Kabul's "secret negotiations" could be why.

On November 5th, notable news emerged from the 11th summit of the Organization of Turkic States. Türkiye wrote off Kyrgyzstan's foreign debt — $58.9 million — in exchange for green economy projects. Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov had previously urged such exchanges but to no avail. Türkiye has likely utilized this opportunity to solidify growing ties with the region further.

On the same day, Kyrgyzstan celebrated Information and Press Day, the Kyrgyz Parliament Speaker, Nurlanbek Shakiyev, said he would "look into" the situation surrounding imprisoned journalists. His follow-up statement about this being "a lesson for others" was the eye-catching moment, however. Other Journalists from Kyrgyzstan reported on odd cases, including unidentified people with MIA IDs inquiring about them and attempted account hacking.

The week before, Tajikistan's customs service concluded an agreement with its Russian counterparts. The agreement aims to simplify the procedure for carrying out customs operations when moving goods and vehicles between the two countries.

The report on the deal mentions an "authorized economic operator," a term legislatively formalized in the Eurasian Economic Union. Tajikistan is not a member, but there have been pushes to change that. Some see the agreement as a step in this direction. Yet, Dushanbe is unlikely to have altered its former position, and a Uzbek official's recent statement about remaining a union observer could embolden Tajik authorities to act in a similar capacity.

On November 1, two more persons' implications in the attempted coup case in Tajikistan emerged. They are reportedly Nuramin Ganizoda and Dzhamshed Boev, former State Committee for National Security officers. An official confirmation has yet to be announced.

On Monday, Uzbekistan finalized bilateral negotiations with the US on WTO accession. The country has long been working toward membership; the recent finalization is another step. The same day,  Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev learned of the readiness of energy sector enterprises for the autumn-winter season.

All companies claim to be ready; perhaps Russian gas supplies will foster a smoother heating season. In all likelihood, the cold snaps that unearthed power supply issues still linger on everyone's mind. Russian gas supplies are a two-sided coin as well.

The head of the Uzbek Central Bank, Mamarizo Nurmuratov, speaking at a press conference on October 31, admitted that reliance on one supplier always generates risks. Uzbekistan imports most of its gas, oil, and petrol from Russia.

Regarding other news about Russian energy, OPEC is set to hold off on ramping up production, which could benefit Moscow's war machine. Sanctions have proven to be slow in countering Moscow's income generation, though their reach has again extended to companies registered in Kazakhstan. Regardless of their speed, concerns about Russia's rising interest rates bringing about business closures may allude to unseen turbulence.

At the same time, continued arms for Kyiv has a less-than-certain future after Trump's recent victory. Biden's team, fearing the worst, is on the move to push out over $6 billion in aid. With uncertainty looming, other European nations' leaders have also voiced that Europe must answer for its security and continue supporting Ukraine.

The Biden Administration had a more noteworthy change of heart. They shifted policy, lifting the ban on contractors fixing U.S.-supplied weapons in Ukraine. The permission to do so, coupled with the uptick in artillery shell deliveries, breathes life into the situation. However, manpower issues remain a hurdle to be overcome. Russia's forces are pushing forward on the Eastern front; thus, Kyiv might have to choose whether to continue maintaining positions in the Russian territory it holds. Incidentally, protests erupted in Kursk, Russia – about 120 people from occupied Sudzha took to the streets.

Meanwhile, CIS Secretary General Sergei Lebedev claimed CIS countries would work out a draft concept for military cooperation until 2030. There are scant details available about the supposed document.

Russia's Ministry of Internal Affairs also requested that the police be given the authority to "preserve and strengthen traditional Russian spiritual and moral values." There are no specifications on how, though four law-enforcement crackdowns on LGBTQ+ clubs are notable background events.