Ziyoda Rizaeva, Center for Economic Research and Reforms

The global economy is developing amid the restructuring of global supply chains. At the same time, the role of regional formats capable of creating additional opportunities for trade, investment, and industrial cooperation is increasing.

One such format is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which marks its 25th anniversary in 2026. Over the past quarter-century, the organization has significantly expanded its membership, geographical reach, and areas of cooperation, while accumulating considerable experience in multilateral and economic cooperation and developing substantial resource and transport potential.

For Uzbekistan, cooperation within the SCO is important for expanding trade, investment, industrial, and transport ties.

The Growing Importance of the SCO

Over the past quarter-century, the SCO has undergone substantial institutional development. Established in 2001 by six countries, the organization today comprises 10 member states (Kyrgyzstan, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Iran, and Belarus). India and Pakistan joined the SCO in 2017, Iran became a full member in 2023, and Belarus in 2024. The Organization has 17 partner states, including Azerbaijan, Mongolia, and Afghanistan.

Guided by its fundamental principles, the SCO serves as a reliable guarantor of stability and security in the region, particularly in Central Asia. Amid a rapidly changing international environment and persistent instability, this role of the Organization is becoming increasingly important.

The SCO is neither bloc-based nor confrontational in nature and remains open to cooperation. This clearly demonstrates that its activities are not directed against the interests of other countries or international organizations.

All decisions within the SCO are made by consensus and require the full agreement of all member states. This principle ensures that the interests of every participant are taken into account, guarantees equality among member states, and enhances the Organization’s appeal as a platform for multilateral cooperation.

Today, the SCO member states cover more than 65% of Eurasia’s territory. Their combined population is around 3.4 billion people, or more than 42% of the world’s population. The combined nominal GDP of the SCO countries exceeds $26 trillion, accounting for around one-quarter of the global economy. In purchasing power parity terms, the organization’s member states account for more than one-third of global GDP.

In 2025, the combined economic growth of the SCO countries was around 5%, compared with global growth of 3.4%. The member states differ in terms of economic size, production structure, resource endowment, competitive advantages, and degree of market openness. This diversity creates broad opportunities for specialization, industrial cooperation, and economic complementarity.

The SCO countries possess substantial energy and mineral resources, a developed industrial base, and growing consumer markets. According to calculations based on international energy statistics, the organization’s member states account for around 69% of global coal production and approximately 30% of natural gas production. Their resource endowment and market capacity create favorable conditions for implementing major industrial, energy, and infrastructure projects.

Between 2015 and 2024, intra-SCO trade (exports) increased almost 2.5-fold, from $271 billion to $674 billion. Over the same period, its share in the countries’ combined foreign trade increased from 8.9% to 14.2%.

The expansion of trade ties is being supported by the development of transport routes, digitalization of trade procedures, and the increasingly widespread use of national currencies in mutual settlements.

An important milestone in the SCO’s institutional development was the 2025 Tianjin Summit, where the SCO Development Strategy through 2035 was adopted. The document defined long-term priorities for multilateral cooperation. Of particular importance was the decision to establish the SCO Development Bank, which is expected to expand financing opportunities for regional infrastructure and investment projects.

Uzbekistan and the SCO in the System of Economic Relations

Uzbekistan’s foreign economic relations with the SCO countries have intensified considerably in recent years. According to estimates by the Center for Economic Research and Reforms, between 2017 and 2025, trade turnover increased 3.1-fold, from $12.9 billion to $40.6 billion. Exports grew nearly 1.8-fold, from $5.8 billion to $10.65 billion, while imports increased 4.2-fold, from $7.1 billion to $29.96 billion.

As a result, in 2025 the SCO countries accounted for around half of Uzbekistan’s total foreign trade turnover, including 31.5% of the country’s exports and 63.3% of its imports.

Geographically, the bulk of trade is concentrated in China, Russia, and Kazakhstan. In 2025, Uzbekistan’s trade turnover with China reached $17.2 billion, with Russia $13 billion, and with Kazakhstan $5 billion. Together, these three countries accounted for around 87% of Uzbekistan’s trade with SCO member states.

Trade with India reached $1.3 billion, followed by Kyrgyzstan at $1.2 billion, Belarus at $965 million, Tajikistan at $912 million, Iran at $579 million, and Pakistan at $446 million.

The SCO countries are major markets for Uzbek fruit and vegetables and other food products, textiles, electrical goods, and automotive products.

A significant share of imports from SCO countries consists of machinery and equipment, industrial goods, raw materials, and food products used by Uzbekistan’s domestic market and manufacturing sector.

The existing trade structure demonstrates Uzbekistan’s high level of economic interconnectedness with SCO countries.

Investment and Industrial Cooperation within the SCO

Further development of trade between Uzbekistan and the SCO member states creates a foundation for deeper investment and industrial cooperation. For Uzbekistan, particular interest lies in moving toward joint ventures, localization of technological processes, and the development of industrial cooperation between enterprises across SCO countries.

In 2025, the volume of foreign investment and loans in fixed capital in Uzbekistan amounted to $33.5 billion. Manufacturing accounted for 33.2% of the total, electricity and gas supply for 17.1%, and mining for 11.9%. The structure of investment indicates significant potential for further development of industrial cooperation, joint production, and localization of technological processes.

SCO member states occupy a significant place in Uzbekistan’s investment cooperation. In 2025, investment from the Organization’s member states amounted to $17.5 billion. The largest volumes came from China ($13 billion) and Russia ($2.6 billion). Other partners included Kazakhstan ($870 million), Iran ($265 million), India ($247 million), Kyrgyzstan ($197 million), Tajikistan ($196 million), Belarus ($76.5 million), and Pakistan ($52.5 million).

Facilitating mutual trade, harmonizing standards, developing production and logistics chains, and promoting mutual investment were identified by President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the 2025 Tianjin Summit as priority areas of economic cooperation within the SCO. To promote direct business dialogue, the President proposed holding an annual “SCO Invest” Investment Forum.

The initiative received practical follow-up as early as 2026. During Kyrgyzstan’s SCO chairmanship, the SCO Investment and Business Forum was held in Bishkek on June 24–25 with representatives of the organization’s member states. The forum covered investment and trade and economic cooperation, industrial and technological cooperation, the digital economy, artificial intelligence, e-commerce, and new industrialization.

Another area of industrial cooperation involves utilizing the resource potential of SCO countries. Uzbekistan’s initiative to establish an SCO Regional Center for Critical Materials provides for cooperation in modern technologies for the extraction and deep processing of mineral resources. The proposed SCO Energy Consortium is aimed at developing joint energy projects. Uzbekistan has also proposed establishing a network of venture companies and funds to support innovative projects.

For Uzbekistan, these new cooperation formats within the SCO expand opportunities for attracting investment and technology, localizing production, and increasing the output of high-value-added products.

Transport Connectivity and New Routes

Transport cooperation occupies one of the most important places in Uzbekistan’s trade and economic relations with SCO countries. According to estimates by the Center for Transport and Logistics Development Studies, over the past five years the volume of international freight transportation with the organization’s member states increased by 40%, or 9 million tonnes, reaching 33.5 million tonnes in 2025. SCO countries account for around 80% of Uzbekistan’s international freight transportation, with the largest volumes involving Russia, Kazakhstan, China, and Kyrgyzstan. According to Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Transport, freight transportation with SCO countries could reach 47 million tonnes by 2030.

Growing freight flows are increasing the importance of new routes connecting East, Central, and South Asia. The 2025 Tianjin Declaration provides for further cooperation along the North–South and East–West corridors, the establishment and modernization of international transport routes, greater use of the transit potential of SCO member states, and the digitalization of logistics procedures.

One of the most significant projects for Uzbekistan is the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway, construction of which began in December 2024. The new route is expected to shorten the distance from East Asia toward the Middle East and Southern Europe by around 900 km, while reducing delivery times by 7–8 days. Potential freight volumes are estimated at 12–15 million tonnes per year (Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan).

Another important route is the Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan railway. In July 2025, the parties signed a framework intergovernmental agreement on preparing its feasibility study. Linking the two railway projects would make it possible to create a continuous route from China through Central Asia and Afghanistan to Pakistan and the ports of the Indian Ocean.

Infrastructure projects are complemented by efforts to optimize railway transportation conditions. At Uzbekistan’s initiative, the creation of an SCO Council for the Integration of Railway Networks is being considered, with the aim of reducing physical and administrative barriers and improving the connectivity of member states’ railway systems.

For Uzbekistan, the development of new transport corridors expands access to the markets of Eurasia and South Asia and strengthens the country’s potential as a transit hub between the SCO’s major economic centers.

New Areas of Cooperation

The expansion of economic interaction within the SCO is accompanied by the emergence of new areas for joint work. Scientific and technological cooperation, energy, environmental protection, food security, education, and tourism are already part of the organization’s sectoral cooperation framework, while a number of recent initiatives are aimed at creating practical mechanisms in these areas.

One promising area remains scientific and technological cooperation. At the 2025 Tianjin Summit, Uzbekistan proposed creating an “SCO Network of Innovation and Technology Hubs” to generate new ideas and facilitate technology transfer. Artificial intelligence, big data, robotics, bioengineering, and alternative energy were identified among the priority areas.

Considerable potential is concentrated in energy and the green transition. According to China’s National Energy Administration, by the end of 2024 the total installed renewable energy capacity in SCO countries had reached 2.31 billion kW, increasing 14.5-fold compared with 2001 and accounting for around half of the global total. In 2025, SCO countries adopted a Statement on Cooperation in the Field of Green Industry. Uzbekistan also proposed establishing an SCO Energy Consortium and a Regional Platform on climate adaptation, decarbonization, and the use of artificial intelligence to forecast environmental risks.

Environmental cooperation is particularly important for Central Asia. Since 2013, the Central Asian Research Center for Ecology and Environment has been operating in Tashkent as part of cooperation between China and the countries of the region. More than 80 monitoring stations have been deployed in the Aral Sea region, while joint research covers ecosystem and water-resource conditions, salt and dust storms, and the restoration of saline lands.

Food security is another important area. The SCO has established a mechanism for meetings of agriculture ministers, while cooperation covers agricultural technologies, scientific research, breeding and seed production, resource-efficient technologies, and agricultural trade. For Uzbekistan, expanding this cooperation is important for improving agricultural productivity and gaining access to the large food markets of SCO member states.

Humanitarian cooperation encompasses education, science, and culture. Uzbekistan has proposed creating an online campus within the “SCO University” partner network, holding annual competitions and Olympiads for students and young professionals in innovative fields, and establishing a Great Silk Road Cultural Dialogue.

At the Tianjin Summit, Uzbekistan also proposed exploring the launch of a “Tourism Corridor.” In 2026, the initiative received practical follow-up. At a meeting of the heads of tourism authorities of SCO member states in Bishkek, the parties discussed the development of tourism corridors and joint routes, including attracting visitors from third countries. In April, at a meeting of SCO health ministries, particular attention was also given to Uzbekistan’s proposed concept for a Medical Tourism Alliance and mechanisms for its implementation.

Conclusion

As the SCO marks its 25th anniversary, the organization is entering a new stage of institutional development of economic cooperation. The SCO Development Strategy through 2035 has been adopted, along with the decision to establish the SCO Development Bank; discussions on its financial and governance model are ongoing, and a new strategy for the SCO Interbank Consortium for 2027–2031 is being prepared. At the same time, transport projects are advancing and sectoral cooperation is expanding in energy, industry, technology, agriculture, and tourism.

The next stage will largely depend on the ability of existing and emerging mechanisms to ensure the implementation of multilateral projects. Establishing the SCO’s own project-financing instrument is becoming particularly important. Further progress is also required in the digitalization of trade and customs procedures, settlements in national currencies, integration of transport routes, and convergence of conditions for doing business.

For Uzbekistan, further deepening economic cooperation within the SCO is primarily associated with expanding technological and investment cooperation, industrial partnerships, deeper processing of raw materials, and access to new markets. The wide range of partners within the organization enables the country to diversify its sources of investment, production linkages, and export destinations.

It is the practical implementation of multilateral mechanisms that will determine the next stage of economic cooperation within the SCO. In this context, the anniversary Bishkek Summit, to be held under the motto “25 Years of the SCO: Together Towards Sustainable Peace, Development and Prosperity,” will become an important milestone in the further institutional development of cooperation. The organization approaches the summit with a number of decisions already adopted and initiatives that moved into the practical development stage in 2026. Their implementation will demonstrate how consistently the SCO can transform agreements into joint economic projects and sustainable mechanisms of cooperation.

The 26th International Textile and Garment Industry Exhibition TextileExpo Uzbekistan 2026 will be held from May 13 to 15, 2026 at the Uzexpocentre National Exhibition Complex in Tashkent

TextileExpo Uzbekistan is the largest B2B platform for the textile and garment industry in Central Asia, bringing together manufacturers, suppliers, and professional buyers. Here, the buyers find reliable partners, current trends, and favourable terms of cooperation, while industry representatives find comprehensive solutions for production development and optimization. Visitors can compare offers, evaluate product quality, and negotiate directly with manufacturers.

Over 150 verified suppliers from 7 countries will participate, with strong representation from companies from China.

The exhibition will traditionally cover all production cycle phases from raw materials to finished products and accessories. Visitors will find yarn, fabrics, knitwear, fittings and accessories, finished garments, technical and home textiles, hosiery, as well as chemicals and dyes for the textile industry.

According to the organizers, the traditional Buyers’ Program is planned as a unique component of the TextileExpo Uzbekistan. It is a platform focused on achieving concrete business outcomes, including targeted B2B meetings, the establishment of long-term partnerships, and the conclusion of commercial contracts. For domestic companies, the program serves as an effective channel for entering international markets and scaling export deliveries. For buyers, exclusive participation conditions are provided, allowing them to make the most efficient use of their time at the exhibition and gain priority access to key suppliers.

Dunyo IA

Three decades of dialogue between Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea have built a strong foundation of trust, supported by cooperation ranging from major industrial facilities and modern healthcare to education programs and digital government. Today, this partnership is moving to the next level.

The Central Asia–Republic of Korea format offers an opportunity to combine bilateral achievements with the scale of the five countries’ collective market, moving from individual projects toward integrated technology value chains, joint raw material processing, and workforce development for the new economy.

A Partnership That Has Stood the Test of Time

Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea established diplomatic relations in January 1992. From the outset, ties developed through regular political dialogue at the highest level. A series of reciprocal presidential visits in the 1990s and 2000s established the legal framework for cooperation, opened the door to Korean investment, and strengthened cultural and people-to-people ties. Relations were elevated to a strategic partnership in 2006, and in 2014 the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to further developing and deepening that partnership.

This foundation gave rise to projects that became symbols of bilateral cooperation. One of the most prominent is the Ustyurt Gas Chemical Complex, an approximately $4 billion facility commissioned in 2016. It demonstrated the ability of Uzbekistan and Korean companies to jointly deliver capital-intensive, technologically complex projects, extending cooperation beyond equipment supplies and trade in finished goods.

A new phase began with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s state visit to Seoul in November 2017. The visit resulted in a Joint Declaration on the Comprehensive Deepening of the Strategic Partnership and more than 60 documents. The agenda covered e-commerce, support for Uzbekistan’s accession to the World Trade Organization, a knowledge-sharing program, financing from the Export-Import Bank of Korea, and cooperation with Uzbekistan’s Fund for Reconstruction and Development.

The President of Uzbekistan proposed establishing a Korean Business Center as a permanent platform to support businesses and investment projects. Even then, it was clear that relations needed to rest not only on government contacts but also on lasting institutional support for business cooperation.

President Moon Jae-in’s reciprocal state visit to Tashkent in April 2019 marked a major step forward, as the two countries announced a special strategic partnership. The package of agreements and projects exceeded $12 billion, covering investment protection, science and innovation, the peaceful use of outer space, healthcare, energy, mechanical engineering, textiles, and pharmaceuticals.

During President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s next state visit to the Republic of Korea in December 2021, the agenda centered on three priorities: green development, digitalization, and stronger social protection. His initiatives included establishing an Uzbek–Korean semiconductor and electronics cluster in Tashkent Region that would combine manufacturing, research, and specialist training; creating a regular dialogue between universities and a forum of rectors; and expanding programs run by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

The lending ceiling under the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) was increased to $1 billion for the period through 2023.

The state visit of President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea in June 2024 brought the partnership’s technological focus into sharper relief. The two sides agreed to develop strategic cooperation in critical minerals, renewable energy, transport, agriculture, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and education. A new package of investment agreements worth $9.6 billion was assembled, while the EDCF lending ceiling for 2024–2027 was raised to $2 billion.

At their meeting in New York in September 2025, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President Lee Jae Myung of the Republic of Korea agreed to prepare a long-term program for technological and industrial partnership. Building on earlier cooperation, the proposed program would cover advanced processing of critical raw materials, chemicals, mechanical engineering, agriculture, transport, aviation, and biotechnology.

The Evolution of the Central Asia Plus Format

Today’s challenges increasingly require solutions that extend beyond national borders. Transport corridors do not end at border checkpoints, resilient supply chains depend on multiple interconnected links, and major investors need market scale and compatible regulatory frameworks. The Central Asia Plus format is therefore becoming an increasingly practical tool for development.

This trend has already taken shape as an established framework for cooperation. The C5+1 dialogue between the United States and the five Central Asian countries has operated since 2015 and reached the leaders’ level for the first time in September 2023. In April 2025, Samarkand hosted the first Central Asia–European Union summit, where relations were elevated to a strategic partnership and a €12 billion Global Gateway investment package was announced.

In December 2025, Tokyo hosted the first Central Asia Plus Japan leaders’ summit, although the dialogue itself dates back to 2004. The Republic of Korea has engaged with the region through a multilateral format since 2007. This mechanism is now also being elevated to the highest political level.

The first Central Asia–Republic of Korea summit is scheduled for September 16, 2026, in Seoul. The five countries of the region offer an interconnected market, shared transport routes, and complementary industrial capabilities. Four areas are of particular interest for bilateral discussions: transport and logistics; water, energy, and climate; critical minerals; and digital standards, education, and the mobility of skilled professionals.

The forthcoming summit’s agenda already reflects this logic. Discussions are being prepared on industrial cooperation, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, digital manufacturing, energy, and supply chain resilience. The Republic of Korea has also proposed regular C5+Korea meetings of industry ministers and a business summit.

Central Asia’s Trade with the Republic of Korea

The economic foundations for taking trade to the next level are already in place. According to calculations by the Center for Economic Research and Reforms (CERR), trade between Central Asian countries and the Republic of Korea grew by a factor of 1.7 between 2017 and 2025, reaching $5.7 billion. The region’s exports totaled approximately $1 billion, while imports amounted to $4.7 billion.

Trade has expanded considerably but remains uneven. Central Asia mainly purchases Korean machinery, equipment, vehicles, electronics, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals, while its own presence in the Korean market remains limited.

Kazakhstan accounted for $3.2 billion, or approximately 56% of the region’s trade with Korea, and Uzbekistan for $1.7 billion, or just over 30%. Together, the two countries represented approximately 87% of Central Asia’s trade with Korea. Trade with Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan amounted to $508 million, $196 million, and $45.2 million, respectively.

Investment flows also point to the availability of capital for the next stage of cooperation. In 2025, total direct investment and loans from the Republic of Korea to the region exceeded $1.5 billion. Kazakhstan received approximately $1 billion and Uzbekistan $474.5 million. More than 1,700 enterprises with Korean capital operate across Central Asia.

Uzbekistan’s Trade with the Republic of Korea

In 2025, trade between Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea totaled $1.7 billion. Korea ranked fifth among Uzbekistan’s trading partners in both total trade and imports. Since 2017, bilateral trade has increased by 25.2%, or $350.2 million.

Exports and imports, however, moved in opposite directions. Uzbekistan’s exports declined from $143.3 million to $61.7 million, while imports from Korea rose from $1.2 billion to $1.68 billion. This gap largely reflects the investment-driven nature of the relationship: Uzbekistan imports equipment and production lines to modernize its industries. In 2025, machinery and transport equipment accounted for 60.7% of imports from Korea, chemicals for 12.8%, and manufactured goods and finished products for more than 16%. In other words, a substantial share of the trade deficit is associated with upgrading production capacity rather than importing consumer goods.

Services accounted for 67.6% of Uzbekistan’s exports to Korea in 2025, followed by raw materials at 13.6%, food products at 5.3%, and finished goods, including textiles, at 3.7%.

Meanwhile, preliminary figures for the first half of 2026 show that bilateral trade increased by 11.5% to $940 million. Exports rose by 21.6% to $33.3 million, while imports grew by 11.2% to $906.8 million.

The potential to expand exports is substantial. The Republic of Korea imports hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of goods each year, including clothing, cables and wires, footwear, jewelry, polymers, plastics, fertilizers, cotton fabrics, copper pipes, home textiles, nuts, and fresh fruit. Uzbekistan already has an established production base in many of these categories. The constraints often lie in meeting quality certification requirements, order volumes, packaging standards, and delivery schedules. These factors need to be taken into account when developing future export strategies.

Investment with Room to Grow

As of August 1, 2026, Uzbekistan was home to 730 enterprises with Korean capital, including 186 joint ventures and 544 wholly Korean-owned companies. Between 2016 and 2025, direct investment and loans from Korea approached $2 billion, with $474.5 million received in 2025 alone.

Korean investors are active in oil and gas, chemicals, automotive manufacturing, textiles, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, energy, healthcare, transport, construction, and services.

The next phase of investment could build on this foundation by expanding local production, training engineers, and developing industrial clusters. Korean expertise can help establish standards, while the regional market provides the scale needed to launch major new industrial projects and joint production initiatives.

Artificial intelligence could play a particularly important role. Joint pilot projects between Korean technology companies and Uzbek enterprises could quickly demonstrate measurable economic benefits and subsequently be scaled up across other Central Asian countries.

The same logic applies to critical minerals. Central Asia needs to move beyond raw material supplies by developing geological exploration, mineral processing, and the production of high-purity materials and components. Joint projects could combine Korean technology and financing with the region’s resource base.

Bilateral and regional cooperation should be deliberately developed as complementary tracks. The Uzbekistan–Republic of Korea format is well suited to launching targeted local projects, while the Central Asia–Republic of Korea format offers a more effective platform for coordinating transport corridors, supply chains, cross-border standards, and projects that require access to all five markets.

Success at either level reinforces the other: strong national projects can serve as models for the wider region, while regional scale enhances their commercial appeal.

Conclusion

Relations between Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea are entering a phase in which accumulated trust must translate into a more technologically advanced and diversified economy. Over three decades, the two countries have progressed from establishing diplomatic relations to building a special strategic partnership, delivering major industrial and social infrastructure projects and fostering trust at the highest political level.

The forthcoming Central Asia–Republic of Korea summit could bring regional scale to this progress. It offers an opportunity to turn natural resources into advanced materials, a strategic transit location into efficient logistics services, and a young population into a strong base of human capital. With the region’s most extensive history of cooperation with Korea, Uzbekistan can both benefit from the new format and help shape its agenda and serve as a major center for its implementation.

Developing transport services, industrial zones, and export infrastructure will enable Korean companies to operate across several countries in the region, while helping Uzbek enterprises join international supply chains and enter new markets.

Edvard Romanov
Center for Economic Research and Reforms

“Uzbekistan - 2030” strategy, adopted on 11 September 2023, identifies sustainable economic growth, the establishment of modern education, healthcare and social protection systems, creation of favorable environmental conditions, building a just and modern state and guaranteed national sovereignty and security as its priority areas. At the core of all reforms is the aim to increase citizens’ welfare, strengthen public trust in the state and ensure confidence in the future. The strategy represents a shift from goal-setting to results-based management, with clear accountability, measurable outcomes and linked financing.

Since its adoption, Uzbekistan has achieved significant progress. Between 2023 and 2025, nominal GDP rose from USD 107.5 billion to USD 140 billion, while exports, foreign investment and innovative activity also grew. Social indicators reflect the reforms’ impact: unemployment fell from 6.8% to 4.9% and poverty decreased from 11% to 6.8%.

What are the reasons for updating the “Uzbekistan - 2030” Strategy?

The need to accelerate the country’s further development has prompted the update of the strategy and its target indicators. The “Uzbekistan - 2030” Strategy has been revised in light of both external and internal factors.

External factors include the global geopolitical environment, international economic trends, technological innovations, environmental and natural changes and the growing demand for energy and water resources. Internal factors encompass demographic growth, urbanization and migration, which require strengthening institutional quality and improving governance efficiency.

In response to these challenges, a draft of the “Uzbekistan - 2030” Strategy for 2026-2030 has been developed and published for nationwide public discussion.

Within the updated Strategy, while retaining the same five priorities and 100 goals, certain tasks and performance indicators have been revised. Many of the previously established targets have already been achieved and new objectives have been added, resulting in an expanded and updated set of performance indicators. Moreover, the document specifies the responsible ministries and agencies as well as the concrete funding sources required to achieve each goal.

In which areas do the reforms provide “mechanisms for change”?

Economy. The largest number of tasks and performance indicators fall under “II. Ensuring the well-being of the population through sustainable economic growth.” The Strategy sets a target GDP of USD 240 billion by 2030 through measures such as maintaining annual inflation at 5–6%, ensuring fiscal stability, enhancing the country’s investment attractiveness, efficiently utilizing domestic raw materials and developing high-tech-based industry and services. The plan also emphasizes deepening Uzbekistan’s integration into global transport and logistics networks and strengthening the export potential of the national economy.

Transitioning to a green economy, transforming the country into a regional “IT HUB” through digital technology development, increasing competition in the banking sector, creating the most favorable conditions for entrepreneurial activity and implementing comprehensive regional development will generate new jobs, ensure employment and increase citizens’ incomes. These measures are expected to reduce poverty, enhance overall well-being and stimulate the growth of key economic sectors, particularly construction, tourism and the service industry.

Education. The Strategy also aims to create favorable conditions for realizing the potential of the youth as well as developing the education and healthcare sectors. Under “I. Creating dignified conditions for the realization of each person’s potential,” performance indicators have been established to achieve goals by 2030, such as ensuring that 50% of graduates from general education schools and academic lyceums receive higher education and secure employment in sectors offering fair wages. Additionally, the inclusion of 10 higher education institutions in the global top-1000 rankings (QS, THE, ARWU) will enhance the competitiveness of Uzbek youth not only in domestic labor markets but also internationally.

The implementation of a cluster system “enterprise – university – research organization” will contribute to the expansion of innovative products in the economy’s “driver” sectors. The Strategy envisions the creation of spin-off type production clusters at higher education institutions to accelerate the process of integrating scientists’ research ideas into economic practice in areas such as transport and logistics, agricultural production, energy, biotechnology, geology and metalworking, mechanical engineering and electronics. Developing science, especially among youth, will improve Uzbekistan’s position in the Global Innovation Index and enable the country to enter the list of the top 60 most innovative nations worldwide.

Health. It is often said that a person’s education reduces health risks and increases life expectancy, while health - physical, mental and social - is the foundation for a full life and self-realization. The Strategy sets goals for the next five years to increase the average life expectancy of the population, reduce premature mortality from cardiovascular diseases (ages 30–69), cancer and respiratory diseases and decrease the incidence of life-threatening congenital defects in newborns. In maternal and child healthcare, nine performance indicators have been established. The Strategy also prioritizes promoting healthy nutrition and lifestyles among the population and reducing adult obesity rates.

Social Protection. For vulnerable segments of the population, the state will continue its policy of fundamentally improving the system of professional social services, establishing a new support system for persons with disabilities and creating a comfortable and favorable environment for them. For children left without parental care, 100% implementation of alternative, non-institutional forms of care will be ensured and for children with special educational needs, coverage by inclusive education will be increased.

The state pays special attention to the expansion of women’s rights and opportunities. Different cultures have diverse perceptions of the roles of men and women, shaped by history, religion and traditions. At the same time, globalization and potential prospects for the country’s development require the implementation of policies ensuring gender equality and increasing the social and political activity of women. The draft Strategy includes tasks such as expanding the number of women trained in professional and entrepreneurial skills, increasing the number of women actively using information and communication technologies, raising the share of women in leadership positions to over 30 percent, and regulating family relations in households experiencing conflict or on the verge of divorce.

Ecology, Law and Security. The priorities of “Conservation of water resources and environmental protection”, “Ensuring the rule of law and organizing public administration oriented toward serving the people” and “Consistent continuation of a policy based on the principle of a safe and peaceful state” are also included in the Strategy, with specific tasks and performance indicators outlined.

Mechanisms for Achieving Goals for Each Priority

The mechanisms for achieving goals under each priority are reflected in strategic documents. For example, to implement the objectives of the priority “Conservation of water resources and environmental protection”, the National Climate Strategy for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation and the Strategy for Industrial Waste Management have been developed.

To develop the driver sectors of the economy and achieve GDP growth to 240 billion dollars by 2030, sectoral strategies have been formulated: Strategy for the Development of Industry of Uzbekistan, Strategy for the Development of the Automotive Industry, Strategy for the Development of Light Industry, Strategy for the Development of the Building Materials Industry, Strategy for the Development of the Jewelry Industry, Strategy for the Development of Tourism in Uzbekistan, Strategy for the Modernization, Accelerated and Innovative Development of the Construction Sector and others.

The development and implementation of strategic documents at the regional level will allow achieving goals and objectives in a comprehensive and targeted manner. For instance, Strategies for Comprehensive Development of All Spheres by 2030 in each region of the country consider socio-economic development through the lens of the local economy and the well-being of the population. The development of such documents involves not only local authorities but also leading ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Investments, Industry and Trade, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Digital Technologies, Ministry of Employment and Poverty Reduction, Ministry of Energy, National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change and others.

The development of sections of the Strategy involved national think tanks, such as the Institute of Macroeconomic and Regional Research, Center for Economic Research and Reforms, etc. This demonstrates that Uzbekistan implements a scientifically grounded policy (evidence-based policy), where decision-making in various spheres - economy, social policy, ecology, law and security - is based on scientific data, forecasts and expert assessments to achieve medium- and long-term goals.

Key expected outcomes until 2030 (macro outcomes)

The main outcomes of the updated “Uzbekistan – 2030” Strategy are expressed through economic, social, environmental, and other indicators. In the economic sphere, it is expected to achieve macroeconomic stability and sustainable GDP growth up to USD 240 billion, transform the country into a regional “IT HUB” and enter the top 60 most innovative countries in the world, deepen the republic’s integration into global transport and logistics networks and strengthen the export potential of the national economy. Creating a favorable business climate and sustainable jobs as well as ensuring employment for the population, will help reduce income inequality and poverty, with the elimination of absolute poverty based on minimum consumer expenditure and reducing its level to zero percent.

In the social sphere, Strategy provides for creating decent conditions to realize the potential of young people and improving education and healthcare, reflected in target indicators such as increasing life expectancy to 78 years, achieving 80% coverage of children in kindergartens, and 50% coverage in higher education. It also aims to enhance the quality of university education, include 10 higher education institutions in the TOP-1000 rankings of the world’s most prestigious universities (QS, THE, ARWU) and implement a cluster system connecting enterprises, universities and research organizations.

In the environmental sphere, the Strategy envisions continuing the transition to a green economy, introducing green energy technologies, constructing buildings that meet “green” standards, promoting a culture of rational water use, developing water-saving technologies, preventing air pollution and mitigating the negative impacts of climate change.

Doctor of Economic Sciences, Professor D.M. Karimova

Institute of Macroeconomic and Regional Studies

Republic of Uzbekistan

Despite its limited access to the world's major ports, Uzbekistan can fully develop its transportation and logistics industry through the formation of land transport corridors, developing them throughout the Eurasian region. Being located in the center of the crossroads of trade routes during the Great Silk Road, Uzbekistan has a unique opportunity to become an important provider of logistics of cargo flows between China and Southern Europe, on the one hand, and the Indian Peninsula and CIS, Northern Europe, on the other hand.
Landlocked countries account for less than 1% of world exports. Moreover, the share of Central Asian countries in the global export of transport services is very small and is represented in the following proportions: Uzbekistan, which has access to the sea only through two countries – 0.1%, Kazakhstan – 0.3%, Tajikistan – 0.007%, Kyrgyzstan – 0.03%.
However, the transport complex of Uzbekistan maintains a dominant position in foreign trade in services and is one of the main sources of foreign currency inflow into the country. Transport services in the republic form 43% of the total volume of the country's service exports and 65% of the balance of foreign trade in services. Uzbekistan's transport service exports in 2022 amounted to $2.2 billion, and the positive balance of foreign trade in transport services amounted to $1.7 billion.


Figure 1. Uzbekistan’s share in global exports of transport services in 2022, %


Calculated according to UNCTAD and Statistics Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan
One of the main problems of Uzbekistan's international freight transport is the underutilization of its export and transit potential, which reduces revenues from the export of transport and logistics services. For example, when comparing actual exports in tons, Uzbekistan is behind Russia by 20 times, Turkey by 10 times, and Kazakhstan by 9 times.
In 2023, the volume of interstate cargo transportation in the Republic of Uzbekistan amounted to 62 million tons, which is 16% higher than in 2022. The largest share in the volume of export-import cargo transportation of the republic falls on Kazakhstan (30%), to a lesser extent on Russia (26%), China (10%), and Afghanistan (4%). Rail transport accounts for the largest share (76%) of Uzbekistan's international cargo transportation (export, import, and transit). The export of transport services includes the transit of goods through the territory of Uzbekistan with a total share in the export of railway services of up to 45%.
The unrealized transit crossroads of Eurasia
One of the main global logistics trends is trade between China and the EU. According to the ERAI review, in 2023, the trade turnover between them amounted to 738 million euros, and according to EUROSTAT exceeded 104 million tons. In the current realities, rail transportation between Europe and China is carried out along the Eurasian route through the territories of Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus; Mongolia and Russia (Naushki border crossing), as well as along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route – TITR (Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Black Sea).
Part of the cargo flows that previously passed through the northern corridor has been redirected to TITR. However, the Eurasian route continues to occupy a leading position. In 2023, a total of 674 thousand TEU passed along this route, which is 1.1% less than in 2022 (681 thousand TEU), but at the same time, in the first half of 2024, the volume of container traffic by China-Europe trains along TITR increased by 12.8% with a volume of 196.6 thousand TEU.
As can be seen, Uzbekistan does not fit into the list of major transit countries between China and the EU in the "Eurasian" and "Trans-Caspian" directions and claims only a part of the target markets mainly in direction along the Southern Corridor through Turkmenistan, Iran, and Turkey.
So, a limited number of international transport corridors pass through the territory of Uzbekistan. The main countries forming the transit of Uzbekistan are neighboring Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, as well as Russia, which is considered an important trading partner for the Central Asian countries. The transport isolation of the region, undiversified transport routes, and limited export deliveries mainly in the northern direction lead to a loss of profit due to the sale of domestic goods mainly to neighboring countries at a fairly low cost.
Transit Priorities
To sell domestic products at competitive world prices, Uzbekistan needs to develop additional export trade routes to other countries, such as China, the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, India, Pakistan, and others. This requires competitive and efficient transport and transit corridors that allow for increasing the volume of transit cargo through the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Therefore, the priority directions identified by 2030 for the development of international transport corridors and bringing the volume of transit traffic through the territory of the republic to 16 million tons include the task of increasing revenues from the export of transport services. The key task in this case is to increase the volume of multimodal cargo transportation in the directions of China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan (Kashgar–Irkeshtam–Osh–Andijan–Tashkent) and Uzbekistan – Afghanistan – Pakistan (Termez – Hairatan – Logar – Karachi).
China - Kyrgyzstan - Uzbekistan. The volume of cargo transportation of the PRC with such countries as Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan in 2023 amounted to almost 50 million tons, with the main volume of cargo transportation carried out by sea transport. Studies have shown that it is possible to attract part of the cargo to the "China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan" route, in the amount of about 10 million tons, and with the stable organization of cargo transportation along the route, the volume of cargo transportation by 2040 may increase by 4 times.
Uzbekistan – Afghanistan – Pakistan. The geographical proximity to Afghanistan, and further south to Pakistan and India, gives Uzbekistan the opportunity to unlock its existing potential and provide cargo transportation services in export, import, and transit traffic in the direction of South Asian countries (Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India), without competing for existing transport and trade corridors. Therefore, Uzbekistan is extremely interested in trade and transport cooperation with Afghanistan and in the implementation of the Trans-Afghan Railway project "Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan." This road will allow establishing a direct rail link between Uzbekistan and Pakistan through the territory of Afghanistan with further access to the ports of the Indian Ocean.
The importance and effectiveness of the "Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan" (UAP) project can be significantly increased if it is implemented in parallel with the project of building the "Uzbekistan – Kyrgyzstan – China" (CKU) railway line, which is the shortest way to connect China with Pakistan and India and will allow a multiple increase in the volume of traffic from/to China to the countries of Central and South Asia.
In this regard, within the framework of two strategic projects UAP and CKU, the ongoing activities on formation of new uninterrupted perspective multimodal transport corridors in the region are relevant. In November 2023 in Tashkent within the framework of the ECO Ministerial Meeting the Protocol of the multilateral meeting on establishment of the international multimodal route between Asia-Europe through “Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Türkiye”, was signed.

In November 2023, a Memorandum on mutual Understanding on the creation and development of international transport corridor “Belarus-Russia-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan” with access to the ports of the Indian Ocean was signed in Tashkent. In April of this year, Termez hosted meetings of transportation agencies and railway administrations of the countries-participants of this corridor, which resulted in the adoption of the Road Map, including the main activities for further development of the corridor.
It should be noted that the abovementioned documents are open for other interested countries to join the transport corridors.
Multifaceted Transport Policy
It should be noted that the policy of forming international transport corridors in Uzbekistan is somewhat different from the policies of several other countries and is aimed at attracting as many countries as possible to the active development of a branched network of transport corridors that ensure efficient foreign trade cargo transportation. As emphasized by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, at the SCO Summit in Astana on July 4 of this year, "the multivariance of transport corridors is the most important condition for the sustainable development of our entire region."
However, the effective functioning of various corridor options is hindered by the lack of unified Cargo Transportation Rules, a unified Transport Document Standard that would be used on all types of transport, as well as the absence of digital platforms for providing customers with freight transportation services remotely from anywhere in the world. All this slows down the transport integration of Asian countries in the context of developing routes between Central and South Asia, and China, on the one hand, and the integration of Asian countries with European communications on the other.
To solve the problems of different legal and technical standards in freight transportation between European and Asian countries, which hinder the full-fledged transportation of goods without delays, it makes sense to develop new services for logistics and cargo transportation market participants, while applying modern technologies.
These include the production of universal wagons with variable gauge axle systems at the country's industrial facilities, with their further use both in Uzbekistan and southern countries, China and others, as well as the development of a digital platform for online registration of cargo transportation and transportation documents, which will lead to additional revenues from the export of transport services.
In this regard, the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, announced in June at the OTS Summit on the formation of a Council of Railway Administrations within the framework of the organization and the placement of its directorate in Tashkent, is relevant. The Council could act as a regulator for the integration of the railways of China, the Asia-Pacific region, South and Southeast Asia with the countries of Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the EU.
To assess the prospects for the coordinated development of transport corridors, a forecast of foreign trade volume was made based on an analysis of panel data using a combined model of two directions of international cargo transportation: China-EU and China-CA. The results of this forecast showed that by 2050, the volume of trade between China and the EU will increase by 4.5 times compared to 2023, and between China and CA - by 5 times. At the same time, the total volume of trade between South Asian countries (India and Pakistan) with trading partners (EU, Russia, China, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan) will increase by 3.8 times compared to 2023.

In the near future, a clearly defined strategy for integrating Central Asian countries into the international transport network can help solve the region's problems and lead to an increase in the export of transport and logistics services and attract cargo flow, and later passenger flow, to the territory of the Asia-Pacific region, South and Central Asia. As the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev said: "We are open to cooperation and ready to become a reliable partner in creating new transport corridors and integration projects."

Dildora Ibragimova,
Center for the Study of Transport and Logistics Development Problems under the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Today, as global climate changes are observed, the population is growing, and industrial sectors are rapidly developing, the value of water resources is increasing not only in the Central Asian region but also worldwide.

According to the data, over the past 30 years, the air temperature in our region has increased by one and a half degrees, as a result of which about a third of the centuries-old glaciers in the highlands have melted, and the volume of water in rivers and streams has decreased slightly.

If current climate trends continue, in the next twenty years, the flow of the two large rivers, Amu Darya and Syr Darya, may decrease by 15%. This would result in a 25 percent reduction in per capita water availability and agricultural crop yields.

These are not just numbers, but indicators related to the fate and well-being of the people living in the region.

According to scientists, by 2040 in some areas of Central Asia, the need for water resources will triple. Over time, economic damage could reach 11% of the region's gross domestic product. The United Nations (UN) warns that countries in the region are currently losing up to US$2 billion a year due to water scarcity and inefficient use. Therefore, if appropriate measures are not taken now, it is inevitable that the countries in our region will face dire consequences of water shortages.

Under the leadership of the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, special attention is being paid to the comprehensive development of the water management sector in our republic, the rational use of existing water resources, including the widespread introduction of digital and water-saving irrigation technologies, and remarkable results are being achieved in this regard.

In his speech at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly on September 19, 2023, the leader of Uzbekistan emphasized the issue of water resource shortages in Central Asia, supported the establishment of the position of the UN Secretary General's Special Representative on Water Resources, and proposed creating a platform for water-saving technologies in Central Asia. In the process of using the "United Nations-Water Resources" mechanism, he emphasized his support for attracting and implementing the most advanced technologies.

This means that Uzbekistan will take the initiative in creating a platform for water-saving technologies in Central Asia, while also seeking to involve the international community in the process.

For more than 30 years since its establishment, the International Fund for Saving the Aral has become the most important platform for regional cooperation in the fields of water management and ecology. In the face of new risks and threats arising because of global climate change, the role and importance of the fund are increasing.

On September 15, 2023, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev put forward the initiative to develop and implement new, agreed-upon decisions for the long-term perspective within the framework of this structure at the meeting of the Council of Heads of the Founding States of the International Fund for Saving the Aral held in Dushanbe. Reflecting the spirit of today, he emphasized the need to further improve the fund's legal framework and modernize its institutional mechanisms.

It should be noted that in the country’s domestic policy over the past seven years, at the initiative of the President, large-scale reforms in the water sector have been implemented. To manage state policy in the field of water management, a separate Ministry of Water Resources was created and the Concept for the development of the industry for the period until 2030 was approved.

As a logical continuation of these reforms and to solve systemic problems at the middle and upper levels of the water management system, on May 7, 2024, the President of Uzbekistan signed the decree "On Setting Priorities for the Introduction and Development of a Modern Management System in Water Resources." According to this document, the activity of the Ministry of Water Resources was divided into three parts, setting up a vertical management system. At the upper level is the management of the state water policy, the regulator; the middle level is engaged in the operation and construction of water management facilities and the introduction of business processes into the sector; and the lower-level handles supplying water directly to consumers.

In the middle stage, an agency for the exploitation of water resource facilities is being set up that operates as an independent legal entity. The agency includes the Ministry of Water Resources of the Republic of Karakalpakhstan and regional irrigation systems basin departments, main canals, water reservoirs, and pumping station utilization departments, as well as land-improvement expeditions.

The department for the implementation of water management projects participates as a customer in projects funded by the budget and foreign investments. The decree envisages a 22% increase in the salary of middle- and high-level employees working in the ministry system, starting on July 1, 2024, and a 60% increase starting in 2025. It should be mentioned that starting in January 2024, the salary of lower-level employees has been doubled, and several incentive mechanisms are being used.

As a result of the accurate calculation of available water resources, special attention is paid to the introduction of water-saving technologies, resulting in abundant and high-quality harvests from agricultural crops. Nevertheless, the prevention of water scarcity remains one of the most important directions for Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan is a country with a large water infrastructure in the Central Asian region; the total irrigated cropland exceeds 4.3 million hectares.

As one of the five priority directions of the "Uzbekistan-2030" strategy, which defines the goals of sustainable development of the country, the task of saving water resources and environmental protection is emphasized, placing great responsibility on water management employees.

To reduce water losses in irrigation networks, the year 2024 was announced as a "breakthrough year for concreting canals" in the water industry at the initiative of the President. For this purpose, 5,000 kilometers of irrigation networks, of which 1,500 kilometers are main and inter-farm and 3,500 kilometers are internal, have been concreted this year. To date, 525 kilometers of canals have been reconstructed, of which 355 kilometers have been concreted. The length of canals concreted by clusters and farms has exceeded 13,500 kilometers.

In recent years, the areas covered by water-saving technologies in the country have reached 1.3 million hectares. Of this, drip irrigation accounts for 478,000 hectares, sprinkler irrigation for 55,000 hectares, and discrete method irrigation for 29,000 hectares. Over 700,000 hectares have been leveled using laser leveling equipment.

Work on the introduction of water-saving technologies, which started in previous years, is being continued consistently. This year alone, it is planned to introduce cost-effective technologies on 500,000 hectares of land and to fully cover all irrigated farming areas in the country with such technologies by 2030.

All possibilities and resources are being used for this. Today, the number of local enterprises producing equipment and components for water-saving technologies in Uzbekistan has reached 55, with plans to increase this number in the future.

In recent years, 11,446 "Smart Water" devices, online water level monitoring meters in 1,704 pumping units, and online monitoring of seepage water levels have been installed in 6,746 reclamation monitoring wells. To manage water resources from one point without human intervention, the management processes of 65 large water management facilities were automated.

It is planned to save 8 billion cubic meters of water in 2024 through the concreting of channels, the introduction of water-saving technologies, the digitization of the industry, the implementation of "smart" devices, and effective water management.

It should be noted that 60 percent of the irrigated cropland in the country is supplied with water through pumps. There are more than 1,600 pumping stations in the Ministry's system, and due to their modernization, installation of modern energy-saving devices, and the introduction of public-private partnerships, electricity consumption has been reduced by 1.5 billion kWh in the last seven years.

In the coming years, the total cost of the water industry will be $6.0 trillion. Agreements for 463 public-private partnership projects worth significant amounts in soums were signed. In 2023, all water management facilities in five districts and 300 pumping stations across the republic will be transferred to the private sector.

This transfer increases work efficiency, saves up to 30% on electricity at pumping stations, and reduces salary deductions by 13%.

The "Irrigators' School" was launched in cooperation with the Ministry of Water Resources, the "Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers," the National Research University, and "Agrobank." Highly qualified specialists from abroad are organizing one-week-long free training courses for designers, contractors, managers of farms, and cluster enterprises from all districts of the republic.

In short, life itself proves that the only solution to mitigate the water shortage in our region is to save water and use it wisely.

Press service of the Ministry of Water Resources
of the Republic of Uzbekistan

The crises observed today in the system of international relations once again testify to the growing need for mutual understanding, unity, and the achievement of common goals for the states of Central and South Asia. In this regard, dialogue platforms that contribute to strengthening mutual understanding and trust are of particular importance. In this context, the Termez Dialogue serves as a platform for developing interregional cooperation. Its first meeting took place on May 19, 2025, aimed at strengthening regional connectivity and elevating cooperation to a new level.

The growing demand for this platform was reflected in the organization of a separate session dedicated to the Termez Dialogue within the framework of the Doha Forum in December 2025. The discussions highlighted the importance of practical approaches to enhancing interregional cooperation.

The current meeting of the Termez Dialogue is aimed at defining a new stage in the development of the platform - the transition from conceptual discussions to defining priority areas and practical mechanisms for realizing the potential of interregional cooperation.  During the Termez Dialogue, special emphasis is expected to be placed on strengthening cultural ties.

This is relevant because interdependence must be understood more broadly than just trade, infrastructure, and transport corridors. It includes social, intellectual, and cultural ties that unite the communities of the region. Revisiting this history creates an important conceptual foundation for modern regional cooperation.

It is noteworthy that even in the past, Termez, a city located between the Greco-Bactrian, Kushan kingdoms, and other ancient states where Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islamic traditions emerged and developed as a center of intercultural and religious dialogue, flourished during the Timurid era and became a major center of trade, crafts, and science^[1]. Indeed, if we look at our history, the countries of Central Asia and the South Asian region have always developed harmoniously as a single space, closely cooperating in all spheres. The works of the great thinker Abu Rayhan Beruni “India,” Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur “Baburnama” and other historical sources are clear evidence of these close ties.

Furthermore, the following remarks by Muhammad Sobir Turkestani, Deputy Ambassador of Afghanistan to Uzbekistan, deserve attention: “Both Uzbekistan and Afghanistan are located on the land between two rivers, which was once called Mawarannahr.” There are many similarities in our cultures.  The cultural heritage of Alisher Navoi is the wealth of the peoples of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. The remains of our ancestor Alisher Navoi are in the Herat region. All the minarets built in Herat during the reign of Sultan Husayn Bayqara stand as a single complex. Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur was buried in Kabul. In a complex called Babur's Garden. There are also large cultural museums in Afghanistan. Our antiquities are kept in our museums in Kabul, Herat, and Mazar-i-Sharif.”^[2] Of course, the main goal of our efforts today is not to develop these historical ties, but to restore them, and to further strengthen the bonds of friendship and brotherhood between our peoples.

To this end, in recent years, Uzbekistan has been increasingly developing ties with the countries of South Asia.

At the same time, special attention is paid to the development of cultural ties and people-to-people contacts, which contributes to strengthening economic ties and realizing untapped potential.

This approach is relevant given the ineffectiveness of using only military-political means to ensure security. For example, the failure to achieve positive results was once again confirmed by the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in 2021, which was carried out with the help of weapons and military to establish peace and stability on Afghan soil. In this context, Uzbekistan's economic ties with Afghanistan today serve as one of the important factors in establishing peace in the country and restoring its economy.

According to estimates by the Statistics Agency of Uzbekistan, mutual trade turnover amounted to $653 million in 2021, $688.8 million in 2022, $784.1 million in 2023, and $999.9 million in January-November 2024^[3]. Over the past five years, trade turnover has increased 2.5 times, reaching $1.68 billion in 2025, while Uzbekistan's exports amounted to approximately $1.5 billion. The parties set a new medium-term goal to increase trade turnover to $5 billion. Therefore, today Uzbekistan is becoming one of the important investors in Afghanistan. Specifically, according to a $1 billion agreement signed between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, Uzbekistan will participate in the development of the Tuti Maidan gas field in the Jauzjan and Faryab regions for 10 years.

The Termez International Trade Center, established in the Surkhandarya region, plays a very important role in implementing such trade and economic instruments. This shopping center is the first trade zone in Central Asia serving various entrepreneurs, especially Afghan entrepreneurs, who cooperate with Afghanistan. The shopping center features permanent exhibitions and fairs, an Uzbek-Afghan business school, a medical clinic for the treatment and provision of medical care to patients who are citizens of Afghanistan, a hotel, enterprises specializing in the production of precious metal jewelry, a multi-currency system, and other conditions that allow entrepreneurs to trade freely.

According to analytical data, 60% of Uzbekistan's total international transport passes through the transit routes of Central Asian countries and Afghanistan. Uzbekistan's access to seaports through Afghanistan is 2-3 times shorter than the access to the Black and Baltic Seas, and 5 times shorter than the route to the Pacific ports^[4]. According to economic analysts, the cost of delivering one container from Central Asia to South Asia through Afghanistan to seaports will decrease from $900 to $286. In addition, transportation time will be reduced from 35 days to 3-5 days. At the same time, export potential will also increase sharply. Improving transport and infrastructure communications and attracting international transit carriers to Central Asia is one of the most important tasks uniting the countries of the region. Its resolution is determined by the need to improve the socio-economic situation in the region.

In conclusion, interdependence is the most important task for the countries of Central and South Asia in terms of ensuring stability and sustainable development. In this sense, the Termez Dialogue, as a prestigious international forum, will be effective in further expanding ties between our regions, opening new horizons for cooperation, and moving confidently along the path of peace and development.

Furthermore, the Termez Dialogue, as a platform for strengthening interregional connectivity and restoring common historical, cultural, and civilizational ties, opens opportunities for the development of new international transport and logistics corridors through Afghanistan. In the current difficult conditions of growing mutual trust and conflict of interests, such a format of cooperation as the Termez Dialogue is of great importance.

Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies, Foreign policy and international economic relations Deputy Director of the Institute PhD., O. Abdurakhmonov

Eldor Aripov: "Termiz muloqoti Markaziy va Janubiy Osiyo o‘rtasidagi o‘zaro bog‘liqlikni mustahkamlashda muhim ahamiyatga ega". (21.05.2025), https://daryo.uz/2025/05/21/eldor-aripov-termiz-muloqoti-markaziy-va-janubiy-osiyo-ortasidagi-ozaro-bogliqlikni-mustahkamlashda-muhim-ahamiyatga-ega

Afg‘onistonda O‘zbekistonga aloqador madaniy boyliklar kam emas. (07.11.2023). https://xabar.uz/uz/madaniyat/afgonistonda-ozbekistonga-aloqador-madaniy-boyliklar-kam-emas

O‘zbekiston Respublikasi Tashqi savdo aylanmasi. 2024-yil yanvar-noyabr oylari uchun dastlabki ma’lumot // O‘zbekiston Respublikasi huzuridagi Statistika agentligi. – B.4.

Akmalov Sh. O‘zbekiston va Afg‘oniston: o‘tmishdan hozirgacha. Monografiya. – T.: “Zamon poligraf”, 2023. – B. 70.

Sadriddin Suyarov,

Journalist

A Tashkent evening in midsummer can resemble a vibrant Mediterranean metropolis transplanted into the heart of Central Asia.

On a summer terrace in the city center, young people move effortlessly between Uzbek and English while discussing a new fintech startup. A few kilometers away, their peers are presenting an exhibition where traditional Uzbek ikat textiles meet digital art.

This is more than a snapshot of modern Tashkent. It is the face of Uzbekistan in 2026, a country marking the 35th anniversary of its independence.

Three and a half decades may be a brief moment in history, but for Uzbekistan, the anniversary carries a particular meaning. More than 60 percent of the population is under 30. Those turning 35 today are, in a sense, the same age as the independent Uzbek state itself. They are known as the ‘Mustaqillik Generation’ - Generation of Independence.

They have no personal memory of shortages, the Iron Curtain or a centrally planned economy. Their worldview was shaped instead by global connectivity, increasingly open borders and sweeping reforms of the past decade. Today, this generation is increasingly taking the helm and helping define Uzbekistan’s future.

From Caravans to Code

For centuries, the Silk Road connected East and West through Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and Shakhrisabz. Today, that historic exchange is taking on a new form.

Caravans have given way to fiber-optic networks, while technology hubs are emerging where caravanserais once stood. The most valuable resources of the new Silk Road are no longer silk and spices, but data, technology and human capital.

Over the past several years, Uzbekistan has made a significant leap in the IT sector, moving from a regional consumer of technology toward an exporter of digital services. At the center of this transformation is IT Park Uzbekistan, which has created an ecosystem for technology companies and helped connect them with international markets. Uzbek digital services are increasingly reaching clients in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, the UAE, and beyond.

Behind these figures are individual stories. Young programmer and entrepreneur Ziyobek Turdiev, drawing on his experience in a U.S.-based logistics company specializing in vehicle transportation, founded TheCarGo, an AI-powered platform designed for American auto-transport brokers. Today, the company serves the US market and continues to expand.

His experience reflects a broader transformation: for a growing number of young Uzbeks, global markets can be reached from Tashkent itself.

This transformation has been supported by economic liberalization and a strong emphasis on education. Programs such as ‘One Million Uzbek Coders’ opening of branches of leading foreign universities and tax incentives for the IT sector have helped create an environment where entrepreneurship and innovation can flourish.

A New Diplomacy of Openness

Historic Silk Road prospered when trade routes were open and travelers could move freely between its cities. Uzbekistan’s recent transformation has increasingly revived this principle.

Introduction of visa-free travel for citizens of more than 90 countries has helped turn Uzbekistan from one of the region’s more difficult destinations to access into an increasingly attractive tourism and business hub.

But the change goes deeper than mobility. Over the past decade, constitutional reform, stronger protection of human rights, the ban on forced labor and a greater role for civil society have contributed to a broader transformation of Uzbekistan’s social and political landscape.

A younger generation of lawyers, diplomats, civil servants and entrepreneurs, many educated at universities in Europe, the United States and Asia, is bringing international experience into national practice.

Their growing engagement is also visible on the global stage. The 14th UNESCO Youth Forum, held in Samarkand in October 2025, brought together 145 young leaders from 135 UNESCO Member States and Associate Members. Held for the first time in Central Asia, the forum focused on climate action and its social impact on young people, while Uzbek participants contributed to discussions on climate and cultural heritage.

A More Connected Central Asia

This opening has also changed Uzbekistan’s role in Central Asia.

Rather than being defined by the rivalries of the past, the region is increasingly becoming a space for cooperation, connectivity and shared economic opportunity. Young entrepreneurs and activists from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are increasingly working together across borders, seeing Central Asia less as a geopolitical fault line and more as a shared home.

Recent youth initiatives illustrate this shift. The international ‘Eco-Zakovat’ intellectual tournament in Samarkand brought together around 150 young participants from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.

Eco-Camp 2026 in Tashkent Region brought together around 300 young environmental activists for discussions, competitions and practical initiatives focused on environmental protection.

For this generation, regional cooperation is becoming less a diplomatic slogan and more a natural way of thinking and acting.

Tradition Reimagined

‘Mustaqillik Generation’ is also redefining how Uzbekistan presents its cultural identity to the world.

Traditional textiles such as adras and khan-atlas, produced through the distinctive ikat technique, are being reimagined by young designers and combined with contemporary fashion. Uzbek patterns and craftsmanship are increasingly appearing in collections aimed at audiences in Paris, Milan, New York and other global cultural centers.

Young designers such as Nigora Hashimova and Marjona Sadinova illustrate this new creative confidence, bringing Uzbek-inspired designs to international platforms.

Country’s participation in the 2026 Venice Biennale, through its national pavilion The Aural Sea, offers another example. Bringing together Uzbek artists, young creatives and international collaborators, the pavilion explores the ecological transformation of the Aral Sea through contemporary art and storytelling.

Cultural revival is not simply about preserving the past. Traditional crafts, from Rishtan ceramics to Bukhara gold embroidery, are also supporting local communities, creating economic opportunities and sustaining environmentally responsible production.

For international audiences, this creates a different image of Uzbekistan: not a country frozen in its historical heritage, but a living cultural space where tradition and innovation coexist.

The Age of Conscious Maturity

For an individual, 35 can mark the transition from youthful ambition to greater maturity and a clearer understanding of one’s place in the world. For a state, meaning can be much the same.

As Uzbekistan marks 35 years of independence, its transformation is increasingly becoming more than a government-led process. It is being reinforced by a generation that has grown up with greater access to information, greater mobility and a stronger connection to the outside world.

This generation may ultimately prove to be the most important guarantee that Uzbekistan’s opening to the world will continue.

Modern Uzbekistan is therefore revealing itself in a new light. It is no longer simply viewed through the prism of its Soviet past or as an exotic destination along the old Silk Road. It is emerging as a dynamic, increasingly open and future-oriented state, with an expanding role in the economic and diplomatic architecture of Central Asia.

The great legacy of the Silk Road was never only about trade. At its heart was the movement of people, ideas, knowledge and cultures.

Today, a new generation of Uzbeks is carrying that legacy forward - not with caravans, but with technology, entrepreneurship, diplomacy and creativity.

As Uzbekistan celebrates the 35^th Anniversary of its Independence, it is not merely commemorating its past. It is writing a new chapter in its global story.

Today, cooperation agenda between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan is gradually taking on a regional dimension. Tashkent and Baku are increasingly viewed not merely as two independent technology hubs, but as potential links connecting the innovation ecosystems of Central Asia and the South Caucasus.

Additional institutional groundwork for long-term cooperation was laid by the outcomes of the Uzbek-Azerbaijani summit in August 2026, during which a Treaty on Eternal Friendship between the two states was signed.

From Interagency Dialogue to Practical Cooperation

One of the starting points for modern cooperation in technology and innovation was June 2022. During Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s state visit to Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan and the Ministry for Innovative Development of Uzbekistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

Practical implementation of these agreements began just a few months later. In September 2022, Uzbek specialists visited the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan and its affiliated organizations. The delegation familiarized itself with the activities of Azercosmos, including the management of telecommunications satellites and Earth observation technologies, and studied the work of Azerbaijan’s Innovation and Digital Development Agency (IDDA) and its startup support mechanisms. One of the earliest areas of cooperation was therefore the exchange of practical experience in developing innovation and digital infrastructure.

The next important stage of cooperation came at the end of 2023, when a delegation from the Ministry of Digital Technologies and IT Park Uzbekistan visited Baku and took part in the INMerge Innovation Summit. As part of the visit, Uzbek representatives also held a meeting with PASHA Holding, which became an important point of contact for establishing business ties and discussing prospects for cooperation in innovation, digital technologies, and startup ecosystem development.

During talks with the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan, the parties identified areas such as e-government, telecommunications, electronic document management, and digitalization. An interagency working group was formed to further develop these projects. At the same time, substantive dialogue began with IDDA on the development of startup and venture ecosystems and the organization of joint acceleration programs.

Thus, from 2022 onward, Uzbek-Azerbaijani digital cooperation gradually moved from studying experience and establishing institutional contacts toward practical cooperation between the technology ecosystems of the two countries.

IT Business Becomes a Distinct Area of Bilateral Relations

The development of intergovernmental engagement has been accompanied by an expansion of direct ties between IT companies from both countries.

By the end of the first half of 2026, the number of IT Park Uzbekistan resident companies with Azerbaijani capital reached 16.

The volume of export services provided by companies with Azerbaijani capital exceeded $2.5 million in the first half of 2026 alone, already surpassing the figure for the whole of 2025, which stood at more than $2.3 million. These companies have created 172 jobs.

Their main areas of activity are software development and implementation, technical support, and software licensing. Companies with Azerbaijani capital include, among others, Financial Chain Corporation and Robertson and Blums.

At the same time, exports of Uzbek digital services to the Azerbaijani market are also growing. In the first half of 2026, 21 IT Park Uzbekistan companies exported services to Azerbaijan. Export volume exceeded $1.2 million, nearly matching the figure for all of 2025, which reached $1.34 million.

Companies serving the Azerbaijani market employ approximately 700 specialists. Among the largest exporters are T4Data, which works with SAP solutions, and Transproekt and IT A-Plus Solutions Software, which specialize in software development.

Startups and Venture Capital: A Fast-Growing Area

One of the key elements of Uzbek-Azerbaijani technological engagement has been the development of the startup ecosystem.

The first practical bridges began forming as early as 2023. IT Park Uzbekistan served as an information partner for Azerbaijan’s SABAH.lab acceleration program, which prepared technology companies for investment and provided funding opportunities for selected projects.

During the 2023 INMerge Innovation Summit in Baku, Uzbek startups TASS Vision, Workly, Sug’urta Bozor, and Uysot had the opportunity to present their projects to international venture funds, including 500 Global, Caucasus Ventures, White Hill Capital, Seedstars, TA Ventures, and Plug and Play.

At the same time, discussions were held with SABAH.HUB on investment in Uzbek startups and the development of university incubation programs, as well as with Azerbaijan’s Innovation and Digital Development Agency on joint acceleration projects.

In November 2024, four Uzbek startup projects were presented under the “Central Asian Innovation Hubs” brand at the InMerge innovation summit in Baku, marking the beginning of more active bilateral engagement in the startup sphere. This partnership was further developed on May 6, 2026, when IT Park Uzbekistan and PASHA Holding jointly held the “InMerge Uzbekistan Innovation Summit” in Tashkent, bringing together more than 40 startups and around 20 international experts and speakers, along with investors, corporations, and government representatives, to discuss business partnerships and investment attraction.

A practical outcome of this cooperation was that Azerbaijani startups “Push30” and “Clopos” attracted a combined $500,000 in investment from local funds IT Park Ventures and Aloqa Ventures as part of their expansion into Uzbekistan. At the same time, Uzbek startup “Recepta” secured $150,000 in investment from IT Park Ventures under the “Digital Startup Awards” program. Reciprocal activity has also been demonstrated by Uzbek startups “Tass Vision,” “Promptlab,” and “Oson,” which are actively expanding into the Azerbaijani market, as well as by startup “Sino AI,” which has been integrated into a clinic in Azerbaijan and is undergoing testing with 50 users.

A particularly notable practical outcome was Azerbaijan’s participation in the Digital Startup Awards 2025, organized by the Ministry of Digital Technologies of Uzbekistan, IT Park Uzbekistan, and IT Park Ventures.

Azerbaijani projects took part in several tracks simultaneously, including incubation, acceleration, and the “Best Startup Project” category. Startups from Azerbaijan received a combined total of $70,000 through the program. Recepta received $50,000 under the acceleration program, Lingozy and SnackPack AZ received support through incubation, while StarkidStories and Tryverse represented Azerbaijan in the finals of the Best Startup Project category.

This marks an important qualitative shift: capital is beginning to flow between the two ecosystems in both directions, creating the foundations for a regional venture capital market.

From Acceleration to Joint Work on AI Projects

Artificial intelligence is gradually becoming a distinct area of technological cooperation.

In June 2026, IT Park Uzbekistan, IT Park Ventures, Azerbaijan’s SABAH.HUB, and Founders Hub organized a Startup Deep Dive practical session for technology entrepreneurs in Tashkent. Selected startups had the opportunity to present their products to a SABAH.HUB expert and receive an assessment of their business models, market potential, and readiness for investment and international scaling.

Particular emphasis in the program was placed on startups considering Azerbaijan as their next market for expansion.

Alongside startup cooperation, another strategically important area developing in parallel is training and the exchange of professional competencies.

A notable example was the 3rd International Training Camp in Competitive Programming, held in Baku from August 20 to 27, 2026. Uzbekistan was represented by four teams, including teams from Tashkent University of Information Technologies, New Uzbekistan University, and the Tashkent branch of Moscow State University.

Three of these teams were winners of the IT Park Code Cup, and their participation was supported by IT Park Uzbekistan. Over the course of seven days, students worked on problems from one of the world’s most rigorous international competitive programming training programs and exchanged knowledge with foreign teams and coaches.

What the Next Stage of Cooperation Will Look Like

The experience accumulated so far points to the gradual formation of a new direction in Uzbek-Azerbaijani relations in the field of digital technologies.

While the first stage was centered on familiarization visits and the exchange of government experience, and the second on participation in joint events and startup programs, the next stage will involve establishing permanent infrastructure for technological cooperation.

ICT Week Uzbekistan 2026 will serve as an important platform for continuing this dialogue. As part of the week, a technology forum of the Organization of Turkic States is also planned to be held in Uzbekistan, with representatives of Azerbaijan’s technology ecosystem participating.

Looking ahead, this interconnection between the two ecosystems could become one of the region’s key competitive advantages. It creates conditions for the emergence of new cross-border companies, joint investment mechanisms, and technological solutions capable of scaling across multiple markets simultaneously.

In this way, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan are gradually forming an ecosystem that could become an independent hub for attracting entrepreneurs, capital, and technology professionals, strengthening the region’s role in the global innovation economy.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Aral Sea was the largest lake in Central Asia. Starting from the second half of this century, as a result of the drying up of the sea, a new desert ecosystem-the Aralkum Desert-was formed at its bottom. This area is currently considered one of the largest anthropogenic desert ecosystems in Central Asia. As a result of the decrease in sea level, more than 60,000 km² of wetlands have turned into land. 

The ecological changes occurring in this region have had a significant impact not only on the climate and soil composition but also on biological diversity. As a result, the distribution area of species adapted to wetland ecosystems has sharply decreased. At the same time, the Aralkum Desert, which emerged between the Ustyurt Plateau and the Kyzylkum Desert, led to the formation of a new bird community as a unique and unique desert ecosystem. Therefore, the scientific study of the state of the desert ecosystem formed on the dried seabed and its ornithological fauna, the distribution of species across the biotopes of these ecosystems, and adaptation mechanisms is of urgent importance.

In accordance with this, the Institute of Zoology of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan Scientific research is being conducted within the framework of the applied project AL-9424104883-R1 on the topic “Current state of the Aralkum avifauna, species adaptation to environmental changes, and conservation measures”. This project was deemed suitable based on the competition requirements announced by the Agency for Innovative Development under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation within the framework of the 94th round and has been funded by the Fund for Financing Science and Supporting Innovation since the second half of 2025. The goal of the project is to identify important areas and biotopes for the ornithological fauna of the Aralkum Desert, to study species diversity, adaptation to environmental changes, biological characteristics, and distribution.

In accordance with the calendar plan of this applied project, a field expedition to the Aralkum Desert in the territory of Muynak district of the Republic of Karakalpakstan was carried out in October–November 2025. Ornithological studies were conducted in areas divided into 10 × 10 km grid cells using the ArcGIS software. A total of 68 grid cells were surveyed using transect and point count methods. Out of these, pedestrian transect observations were conducted in 56 grid cells, with a total length of 140 km. In the remaining 12 grid cells, point count observations were carried out. The grid-based approach to studying the area is important for identifying patterns in the distribution of birds across biotopes and for revealing their association with specific landscape elements.

As a result of scientific research conducted to date, it has been established that the Desert ecosystem formed on the dried seabed incorporates the following biotopes:

Saline deserts are characterized by high salt concentrations; specific species of halophytic plants predominate here.

Sandy deserts consist of wind-driven barchans, semi-fortified, and fortified sands, in which ephemerals, perennial herbs, semi-shrubs, and shrubs are found.

Stony and gravelly deserts cover ancient islands in the central part of the Aralkum Desert and adjacent territories.

Clay deserts are open plains in the western and southwestern parts of the Aralkum Desert.

Hills and chinkes include ancient coastal walls and adjacent hills in the western and northern parts of the Aralkum Desert.

Furthermore, in the northwestern part of this territory, there is a remnant of the Aral Sea preserved as a natural lake, as well as a number of artificial basins formed by drainage and collector waters in the southern regions, which are of great importance to hydrophilic birds as a biotope for wetlands.

During the field studies, data were collected on the autumn diversity, distribution, and abundance of 91 bird species belonging to 12 orders and 26 families across 6 types of biotopes. Among the recorded bird species, 13 species - Cygnus olor, Cygnus cygnus, Phoenicopterus roseus, Falco cherrug, Haliaeetus albicilla, Aegypius monachus, Circus macrourus, Aquila nipalensis, Aquila heliaca, Aquila chrysaetos, Chlamydotis macqueenii, Limosa limosa, and Glareola nordmanni — are included in the Red Data Book of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Additionally, 9 species are included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, 17 species in the Annexes to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and 28 species in the Annexes to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Wild Animals (CMS).

The research results showed that the areas of the Aralkum Desert with the highest ornithological fauna diversity correspond to sandy desert biotopes formed parallel to the chink, bordering the eastern part of the Ustyurt Plateau. This biotope was formed at the boundary of desert and steppe ecosystems, characterized by diverse vegetation and favorable habitat conditions for birds belonging to various ecological groups.

It was also found that hills and chins are of particular importance as favorable habitats for many species during the autumn season. In the remaining parts of stony and gravelly deserts and sandy deserts, highly specialized species for living in arid conditions were observed, while in saline and clay deserts, species diversity was noted to be at a minimum level.

Research has shown that the remnants of the Aral Sea, preserved as a natural lake, are of relatively low importance for waterfowl and waterfowl; conversely, artificial reservoirs in southern regions serve as an important wetland habitat for hydrophilic birds.

The Aralkum desert, formed on the dried bed of the Aral Sea, emerged as a unique new desert ecosystem within a short historical period. Conducted studies have shown that various biotopes have formed in this area, directly influencing the distribution and diversity of birds. The highest ornithological diversity was observed in sandy desert biotopes, while this indicator was low in saline and clay areas. The research results serve as an important scientific basis for identifying important habitats for birds in the Aralkum region and developing measures for their protection.

Institute of Zoology of the Academy of Sciences of
the Republic of Uzbekistan

A meeting of the Organizing Committee for the Second Asian Women’s Forum was held at the Senate of the Oliy Majlis.

The meeting was chaired by the Chairperson of the Senate, Tanzila Narbaeva.

The meeting was attended by members of the Organizing Committee, senators, heads of relevant ministries and agencies, as well as representatives of non-governmental non-profit organizations.

It should be noted that the Head of state, during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly held on September 23–29, 2025, proposed transforming the Asian Women’s Forum into a permanent platform.

To this end, it was decided to hold the forum jointly with UN Women and the United Nations Population Fund on May 13–15 this year in the city of Bukhara.

The forum will address issues related to empowering women in the region in areas such as politics, economy, healthcare, education, social protection, climate, environment, and governance. It is expected to enhance both global and regional cooperation, with active exchange of experience.

The event will also serve as a platform to present to international participants the reforms implemented in Uzbekistan under the leadership of the Head of State, including measures to support women, socio-economic opportunities, and conditions created in employment, entrepreneurship, education, and social protection, as well as achievements in community development and tourism potential.

Particular attention will be given to the implementation of key international frameworks, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, UN Security Council Resolution 1325, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

During the meeting, participants discussed organizational aspects related to the forum, including its agenda, content, and arrangements for bilateral meetings with foreign delegations.

Following the meeting, relevant ministries and agencies were assigned specific tasks to ensure the forum is held at a high level.

Dunyo IA,

Tashkent

In the modern system of international relations, stable and long-term cooperation between states is based, above all, on political will and trust at the highest level. Relations between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Turkey have consistently developed based on an open, sincere, and trusting dialogue established between the heads of state. This political trust creates a solid foundation for public diplomacy, including deepening fraternal ties between the cities.

In recent years, high-level meetings, regular political dialogue, and strategic agreements between the presidents of Uzbekistan and Turkey have elevated relations between the two countries to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership. Mutual trust and political support from the heads of state have resulted in concrete and practical results in trade, economic, investment, cultural, humanitarian, and educational spheres.

From this perspective, public diplomacy is becoming an important component of Uzbek-Turkish relations. It strengthens official interstate agreements at the public level and deepens trust and mutual understanding between peoples. Particularly between two fraternal nations with shared historical roots, a common language, and spiritual values, public diplomacy is a natural and indispensable process.

In this context, the Uzbekistan-Turkey Friendship Society functions as an important institutional platform for the development of public diplomacy. Cultural events, scientific and educational conferences, youth and women’s initiatives organized by the society contribute to strengthening mutual trust and friendship between the two peoples. This activity promotes public support for priority areas established at the level of heads of state.

At the same time, fraternal relations between cities are one of the most effective and practical forms of public diplomacy. Fraternal relations established between the cities of Uzbekistan and Turkey strengthen political trust at the local level and create a favorable environment for economic and cultural cooperation. The Brother Cities Alliance and the Union of Municipalities of the Turkic World participate in this process as important international structures coordinating and systematically developing relations between cities. 

Brother cities cooperation, which has historical significance in Uzbek-Turkish relations, includes ties between the cities as Bukhara – Izmir, Bukhara – Malatya, Samarkand – Sakarya, Tashkent – Ankara, and Khiva – Bolu. Cultural and humanitarian projects, educational and tourism programs, as well as investment initiatives implemented within the framework of this cooperation serve to achieve the strategic goals set by the leaders of the two countries at the local level.

It should be noted that cooperation between cities has not only cultural or economic significance but also an important political content. Trust and cooperation established at the local level ensure the stability and continuity of interstate relations. This demonstrates the significant role of public diplomacy in strengthening the strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and Turkey.

In conclusion, public diplomacy in Uzbek-Turkish relations is an important factor that builds on, complements, and strengthens the trusting political dialogue between the heads of state. Within the framework of the priority areas identified by the heads of state, work carried out at the city level in cooperation with the Brother Cities Alliance and the Union of Municipalities of the Turkic World will contribute to the further strengthening of friendship, trust, and cooperation between the two fraternal peoples.

Zokir Abidov,

Chairman of the Brother Cities Alliance