Korea-Central Asia Summit: South Korea’s President Lee Jae-myung will host the first leader-level Korea-Central Asia Summit in Seoul on Sept. 16, upgrading the 2007 ministerial forum and aiming for a “Seoul Declaration” on energy, critical minerals, supply chains, tech and connectivity, with one-on-one talks starting Sept. 14. Regional Security & Borders: Taliban and Turkmen defense officials met to strengthen border security coordination as Central Asian states worry about militant spillover and cross-border threats. Energy Transit Politics: Pakistan’s foreign ministry said CASA-1000 and similar projects were launched decades ago and should move forward as security improves and relations normalize with Afghanistan; Tajik and Kyrgyz segments are already completed. Nuclear Disarmament: Central Asian foreign ministers marked the 20th anniversary of the Semipalatinsk nuclear-weapon-free zone treaty, warning that arms-control erosion and mistrust are raising global risk. Education & Human Capital: An OECD PISA update shows Tajikistan’s Dushanbe sample lagging in science and reading, while Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan lead in published regional scores. Dushanbe Development: Construction has started on the planned 340-meter Dushanbe Tower as part of a wider mall complex, with completion targeted within five years. CIS Economic Agenda: The CIS Economic Council meeting in Ashgabat approved programmes to deepen practical economic cooperation, with Tajikistan represented by its ambassador to Turkmenistan.