DUSHANBE, October, 2015, Asia-Plus – The International Crisis Group reports that Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia’s only even nominal parliamentary democracy, faces growing internal and external security challenges.

According to the Crisis Group, deep ethnic tensions, increased radicalization in the region, uncertainty in Afghanistan and the possibility of a chaotic political succession in Uzbekistan are all likely to have serious repercussions for its stability.  The risks are reportedly exacerbated by leadership failure to address major economic and political problems, including corruption and excessive Kyrgyz nationalism.

The Crisis Group notes that poverty is high, social services are in decline, and the economy depends on remittances from labor migrants.  Few expect the October 4 parliamentary elections to deliver a reformist government. If the violent upheavals to which the state is vulnerable come to pass, instability could spread to regional neighbors, each of which has its own serious internal problems.

The broader international community – not just the European Union (EU) and the U.S., but also Russia and China, should recognize the danger and proactively press the government to address the country’s domestic issues with a sense of urgency.

The International Crisis Group (Crisis Group) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization covering over 60 crisis-affected countries and territories across four continents, working through field-based analysis and high-level advocacy to prevent and resolve deadly conflict.