IT & AI Investment: Tajikistan broke ground on the $100m IT Hub Dushanbe in Ismoili Somoni district, with an IT school, IT Park, business center and a regional AI center meant to host 5,000+ professionals and support hundreds of tech firms and investors. Critical Minerals Diplomacy: The U.S. held a C5+1 Critical Minerals Dialogue in Astana, with Sergio Gor urging “win-win” partnerships and pushing beyond raw exports toward processing, workforce training and supply-chain integration. Mining-to-Industry Push: Kazakhstan used the same critical-minerals push to frame minerals as an industrial strategy, while discussions covered exploration, processing, logistics and global value chains. Power Systems Training: Dispatchers from Central Asia completed regional training in Tashkent on power system dispatch management, focused on renewable integration and real-time system flexibility. Renewables Grid Risk: A new Eurasian Development Bank warning says Central Asia’s renewable boom could raise electricity costs unless grid upgrades, reserve capacity, storage and market reforms keep pace. Hydropower Reality Check: Tajikistan is using only about 5% of its hydropower potential, despite hydropower powering roughly 98% of electricity generation. Education Links: Tajikistan and China expanded education cooperation, targeting Chinese-language instruction and digital learning, plus teacher training and exchanges. Regional Water-Soil Action: The GEF launched the Central Asia Water–Land Nexus Programme (CAWLN) to coordinate land and water management across five countries.