The Eurasian Heartland Arrives: Kyrgyzstan’s Seat on the UN Security Council

For the first time in its history, Kyrgyzstan will serve on the United Nations Security Council—winning a non-permanent seat for the 2027–28 term in a vote at the UN General Assembly. It is only the second time a Central Asian nation has held this position, after Kazakhstan in 2017–18. The election reflects a broader shift in how the international community understands Central Asia’s place in global affairs. Long treated as a peripheral region, the Eurasian heartland is increasingly central to questions of connectivity and the future of the international order. Ambassador Edil Baisalov, Kyrgyzstan’s newly appointed envoy to the United States and former deputy prime minister, joins Senior Fellow Ken Moriyasu for a conversation about why Kyrgyzstan sought this seat, how it campaigned, and what it hopes to accomplish. What does Kyrgyzstan’s election signal about Central Asia’s rising profile—and what does a small, landlocked nation bring to one of the world’s most consequential tables?