Over the last four weeks, the region saw a 55 per cent increase in new Covid-19 cases, while Europe and Central Asia together accounted for 59 per cent of global cases and 48 per cent of reported deaths.
Over the last four weeks, the region saw a 55 per cent increase in new Covid-19 cases, while Europe and Central Asia together accounted for 59 per cent of global cases and 48 per cent of reported deaths.
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First there was “mask diplomacy” and now there’s “vaccine diplomacy.” In the context of Central Asia, vaccine diplomacy is a hot topic, which pairs well with preexisting narratives about the region as a geopolitical battlefield. Given that Russia and China are major figures in the COVID vaccine arena, it’s natural to contrast their efforts in the region. Can “vaccine diplomacy” change any minds in Central Asia when it comes to the Russia vs. China equation?
“What [vaccine diplomacy] does do is play into existing regional and global agendas,” Alexander Cooley, director of Columbia University’s Harriman Institute, said during an online event put together by IWPR in Central Asia and the Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs.