Dushanbe Water Diplomacy: Tajikistan hosted the 4th High-Level International Conference on “Water for Sustainable Development” (May 25–28), with UN envoy Retno Marsudi stressing that water governance and climate resilience need collective action and faster investment. Transboundary Water Cooperation: CAREC and partners held pre-forums on practical steps for cross-border water management, while discussions also highlighted the growing friction over who pays to maintain reservoirs and infrastructure as glaciers melt. Climate Risk for Households: An ADB-linked webinar using Central Asia household panel data (2021–2023) warned that rainfall shortages and other climate shocks are hitting incomes, food security and deepening hardship for vulnerable groups. Waste and Methane Monitoring: CAREC presented WasteMAP at an IPU regional seminar, pitching satellite-based landfill methane tracking to improve climate policy and strengthen countries’ positions in international climate talks. Rogun Dam Momentum: A feature revisited Tajikistan’s “life or death” Rogun Dam plan, framing it as a long-term answer to winter power shortages and potential surplus exports. Industrial Push: Tajikistan plans four new cement plants by 2029 to double output, aiming to cover domestic construction demand and create thousands of jobs. Digital Trade Facilitation: Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan completed their first cargo shipments using the eTIR system, a step toward faster, less paperwork-heavy customs and transit. Security Context: Russia’s FSB warned that ISIS-K is recruiting across CIS-linked migrant communities, underscoring the region’s security and labor-mobility risks.