Today, Uzbekistan continues to steadily strengthen its cooperation with the international community in education, science, culture, and innovation. In this process, the country’s partnership with UNESCO holds a special place. Uzbekistan became a member of UNESCO in 1993 – a historic step that paved the way for integrating the national education system, scientific potential, and rich cultural heritage into the global intellectual space.
The opening of the UNESCO Office in Tashkent in 1996 marked a new milestone in bilateral relations. Moreover, the National Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan for UNESCO was established to ensure sustainable cooperation, which has since become an active platform for dialogue and partnership.
Throughout this collaboration, Uzbekistan has consistently implemented international norms and principles in education, science, and sports. One of the important steps in this direction was the ratification, in 1997, of the 1960 Convention against Discrimination in Education, aimed at promoting equality and fairness in the education system. In the same year, Uzbekistan also acceded to the 1989 Convention on Technical and Vocational Education, which contributed to expanding opportunities for young people to acquire modern professions and practical skills, linking education closely with real life.
These measures have played a key role in strengthening Uzbekistan’s position in the global educational space and demonstrate the country’s firm commitment to promoting human capital development. By joining these conventions, Uzbekistan reaffirmed its dedication to equality and quality in education, youth health and well-being, and to aligning vocational education with international standards.
The Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education
At present, Uzbekistan is taking practical steps toward joining UNESCO’s Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education. This document aims to harmonize international education systems, ensure mutual recognition of diplomas and qualifications, and expand academic and scientific mobility. The initiative will help make Uzbekistan’s higher education system more open and competitive globally, enhance cooperation with foreign universities, and improve the international employability of Uzbek graduates.
On December 10, 2021, Tashkent hosted a High-Level Meeting of Experts on Strengthening Stakeholder Cooperation for the Adoption and Implementation of the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications. National and international experts, government representatives, and higher education institutions discussed the significance of Uzbekistan’s accession to the convention as a key step in integrating the national higher education system into the global academic space.
UNESCO Chairs in Uzbekistan
One of the most effective areas of cooperation between Uzbekistan and UNESCO is the establishment and activity of UNESCO Chairs. Currently, there are nine UNESCO Chairs operating at higher education institutions across the country. Each of them contributes to strengthening international cooperation in education, science, culture, communication, and information, as well as to advancing research potential and promoting the principles of sustainable development.
UNESCO Chairs are established under the UNITWIN (University Twinning and Networking) Programme, launched in 1992 to encourage the exchange of experience and knowledge among universities and to expand global academic cooperation. Today, the network brings together over 700 chairs and research centers in 114 countries around the world.
In most cases, the activities of UNESCO Chairs are financed directly by the universities themselves — reflecting their aspiration to enhance academic prestige and to operate in close cooperation with the international scientific community.
A vivid example of such cooperation is the UNESCO Chair in Education for Sustainable Development at Urgench State University. The Chair has organized more than 20 events involving teachers, researchers, students, NGOs, and international experts. It has also held conferences, launched student exchange programmes, and published joint research papers. Such initiatives not only strengthen the capacity of the national education system but also promote Uzbekistan’s integration into the global scientific and intellectual community.
Rural Development and Human Potential: Supported by UNESCO and the European Union
Uzbekistan is steadily advancing international cooperation in promoting rural development, youth employment, and the enhancement of modern professional skills. A vivid example of this is the project “Development of Employment Skills in Rural Areas of Uzbekistan,” funded by the European Union and implemented by the UNESCO Office in Tashkent.
The six-year project (2020–2026), with a total budget of €9.6 million, is a clear reflection of the strong partnership between the European Union and UNESCO in supporting education reforms in Uzbekistan. The main goal of the initiative is to ensure sustainable economic growth by training specialists equipped with up-to-date knowledge and skills that meet the needs of the rural labor market.
Within the project, Uzbekistan’s agricultural education system is undergoing major modernization. Specialists are being trained in such forward-looking fields as intensive horticulture, greenhouse management, agricultural product processing and storage, water management and land reclamation, and the operation of water-saving irrigation systems — all oriented toward practical skills demanded by the modern labor market.
A significant component of the project is the development of a National Vocational Education Strategy, new occupational standards, and educational programmes in agriculture and water management. In addition, pilot educational institutions are being equipped with modern laboratories, learning facilities, and teaching technologies.
Four pilot colleges — in Qorovulbozor, Qo‘shko‘pir, G‘ijduvon, and Qizirik — have been selected to implement the project. They have received modern tractors, technical equipment, computers, and refrigeration units for agricultural product storage. Moreover, four Advanced Vocational Training Centers are being renovated and equipped with up-to-date facilities.
During implementation, the rural labor market was analyzed to assess demand for mid-level specialists. Based on the results, six pilot specializations — including Automated Water Management Systems Technician, Animal Husbandry, Greenhouse Management, Irrigated Land Reclamation, Crop Science, and Farm Management — were introduced, and student admissions began in the 2023/2024 academic year.
In May 2024, an international conference titled “National Frameworks for Quality Assurance” was held within the project, focusing on aligning Uzbekistan’s vocational education system with international quality standards and strengthening human capital.
Additionally, under UNESCO’s “Delta Framework” programme, national ICT competencies are being developed, and special training courses for teachers of pilot institutions are planned.
This initiative serves not only to modernize the vocational education system but also to foster sustainable rural development, enhance youth employability, and improve the quality of life in local communities.
Science and Innovation for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future
In recent years, Uzbekistan has witnessed growing enthusiasm for new scientific ideas, research, and innovation. A shining example of this is the “InnoWeek.Uz” International Week of Innovative Ideas, held annually since 2018. Each year, the event provides a unique platform for bridging science and practice, engaging young researchers in innovation, and expanding global scientific cooperation.
“InnoWeek.Uz” has become a true celebration of creativity, discovery, and technological advancement — a space where scientific potential, imagination, and passion for progress converge. Creating the future through research and innovation, and opening new paths to development through knowledge, lies at the heart of this initiative.
The “InnoWeek.Uz–2024” edition marked a new milestone, featuring the “Science & Innovation for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future” Forum organized under the auspices of UNESCO. The forum brought together young scientists, researchers, and experts from around the world to exchange views on the role of science and innovation in promoting peace and sustainable development. The participants shared their research achievements and discussed new opportunities for global collaboration in science and technology.
Through their work, young scientists inspired others by seeking solutions to modern challenges, developing technologies that serve human welfare, and advancing harmony between nature and society. Discussions at the forum highlighted the role of innovation in economic and social progress, the contribution of science to peacebuilding, and the prospects for future scientific cooperation.
All these initiatives implemented in cooperation with UNESCO deepen Uzbekistan’s ongoing reforms in education, science, and culture, while strengthening the country’s ties with the global community.
Today, knowledge and creativity, tradition and innovation, national values and modern approaches unite in Uzbekistan with one shared goal — progress and a sustainable future.
As UNESCO’s noble motto proclaims, “Building peace through education, science and culture” — this principle embodies both the moral and practical essence of Uzbekistan’s policy today. The nation continues to move forward with determination, fostering peace, development, and prosperity through enlightenment and science.

Kongratbay Sharipov,
Minister of higher education, science and innovationof the Republic of Uzbekistan

September 22-24^th, 2026, traditional Plastex Uzbekistan 2026 exhibition will be held in the capital of Uzbekistan

More than 250 companies and brands from Austria, Germany, India, Iran, Italy, China, Latvia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Uzbekistan have confirmed their participation in the exhibition.

Organizers: international exhibition company Iteca Exhibitions and its partner ICA Eurasia Group.

Every autumn, Plastex Uzbekistan brings together equipment manufacturers, raw material suppliers, processors, engineers and executives from the polymer industry in Tashkent. As the only specialized plastics industry exhibition in Uzbekistan, it annually showcases the latest developments in the chemical and polymer sectors.

Among the new exhibitors are companies that will present their solutions to Uzbek industry professionals for the first time. “Koenig & Bauer Kammann GmbH (Germany)” has been a leading manufacturer of fully automated screen-printing machines for the decoration of plastic containers for more than 70 years. “Definitive Innovation (Italy)” is a reliable partner in advanced solutions for dosing, mixing, filtration, storage, pneumatic conveying and industrial automation technologies. “PLAS MEC S.R.L. (Italy)” enjoys worldwide recognition as a leading manufacturer of mixing systems for PVC, plastics, masterbatches, powder coatings, engineering plastics and other high-quality materials. “TERMOKAR MAKİNA (Türkiye)” offers highly efficient chillers and heat-exchange solutions for industries including plastics, rubber, medical, pharmaceutical, food and automotive manufacturing. Local manufacturing will be represented at the exhibition by “NOVOPLAST TPE (Uzbekistan)”, a leading manufacturer of thermoplastic elastomers and products made from them.

Visitors will be able to explore modern equipment for plastics production and processing, polymer raw materials and specialty additives, moulds and dies, auxiliary equipment, as well as solutions for the packaging and recycling industries.

One of the key advantages of Plastex Uzbekistan remains its practical exhibition format. Visitors will have the opportunity to see equipment in operation, receive consultations from company representatives and discuss technical issues directly with manufacturers and suppliers.

Since 2025, Plastex Uzbekistan has been held jointly with “4P Central Asia”, bringing together the printing, packaging, plastics and polymer sectors. This format expands the exhibition and enables industry professionals to explore solutions from several interconnected sectors during a single visit.

Chemical and polymer industry remains one of the priority areas of Uzbekistan’s industrial modernization. Growing polymer production and processing are creating sustained demand for modern equipment, raw materials and technologies. In this context, Plastex Uzbekistan serves as an important B2B platform for international equipment and raw material manufacturers, chambers of commerce and industry associations. It provides an opportunity to gain first-hand insight into the current needs of the Uzbek market, assess prospects for localization and exports and establish direct contacts with key industry enterprises.

For official delegations, the exhibition is of practical interest as a tool for assessing the investment and trade potential of the polymer industry - both from the perspective of the Uzbek market and in the context of advanced global technologies showcased at the exhibition by leading international manufacturers.

Dunyo IA

Cooperation between Uzbekistan and Serbia in digital technologies, IT services exports, startups, artificial intelligence and innovation entered a new phase in the second half of 2025.

A major milestone was the official visit of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić to Uzbekistan on October 28, 2025, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. During the first full-scale summit between the two heads of state, information technology and digitalization were identified among the priority areas for bilateral cooperation, alongside mechanical engineering, pharmaceuticals, the chemical industry, agriculture and tourism.

The two sides also signed a dedicated agreement on cooperation in engineering, advanced technologies, artificial intelligence and related fields, creating an institutional foundation for deeper technology partnerships.

From political agreements to technology projects

The high-level political dialogue was followed immediately by discussions focused on practical technology cooperation. On October 29, 2025, President Vučić visited IT Park Uzbekistan, where the Serbian delegation was introduced to Uzbekistan’s growing technology ecosystem, export-oriented IT companies and locally developed digital solutions.

The delegation was presented with solutions developed by companies and organizations including UniconSoft, Didox/Venkon, Kpi.com and UzSpace, as well as UZINFOCOM products such as Palm ID, HRM.argos.uz, uGaz and DMed. The discussions covered the potential establishment of a joint IT enterprise in Serbia, the deployment of Palm ID technology, and the development of a venture mechanism to support startups from both countries.

Towards the end of 2025, IT Park also promoted the Trucking Outsourcing Weekend with IT Park format in Belgrade, targeting logistics and outsourcing companies. The initiative was designed to demonstrate how Serbian and international businesses could leverage Uzbekistan to build operational teams, access skilled professionals, optimize costs and scale their international operations.

Moving towards a practical cooperation model

In 2026, the two sides continued efforts to translate the agreements reached in 2025 into practical business mechanisms.

At a business forum held in February with the participation of IT Park, government representatives and more than 80 entrepreneurs, discussions focused on IT outsourcing, business process outsourcing (BPO), knowledge process outsourcing (KPO), joint ventures, data centers and venture capital mechanisms.

One of the most promising concepts discussed was a “Serbia as front office, Uzbekistan as back office and delivery hub” model.

The concept is based on complementary strengths rather than competition between the two markets. Serbia offers geographic proximity to European and Western Balkan markets, experience in serving international clients, established business networks and a developed innovation ecosystem. Uzbekistan, meanwhile, can provide scalable technical and operational teams, competitive operating costs, a growing talent pool and a platform for expansion into Central Asia.

The value of this model lies in combining Serbia’s capabilities in client relations, business development and international networks with Uzbekistan’s strengths in technical delivery, workforce scalability and operational execution.

At a follow-up meeting in February 2026, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Digital Technologies Sherzod Shermatov and Serbia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Adriana Mesarović discussed in detail cooperation in the IT industry, artificial intelligence, data centers, digitalization of public administration, and cybersecurity. The Serbian delegation also visited IT Park Uzbekistan, UzSOC, and UZINFOCOM, where it reviewed cyber incident response mechanisms, as well as the infrastructure supporting government information systems and data centers. In turn, the Serbian side shared its experience in developing supercomputing infrastructure and data centers.

Сooperation indicators

Meanwhile, cooperation between Uzbekistan and Serbia in the export of IT services is demonstrating a steady positive trend. In 2024, two IT Park Uzbekistan resident companies exported services to the Serbian market, with a total export volume of approximately $42,000.

By the end of the first nine months of 2025, the number of IT Park residents working with the Serbian market had tripled to six companies. Concurrently, the total export volume exceeded $72,000, indicating a consistent expansion of Uzbek IT companies' presence in this market.

This positive trend continued into 2026. Notably, a resident company with a Serbian founder was registered with IT Park, providing further evidence of Serbian business interest in the opportunities within Uzbekistan's tech ecosystem. To date, the cumulative export volume of services to Serbia has reached approximately $130,000.

Thus, in a relatively short period, this cooperation has evolved from isolated export contracts to a more sustained interaction between companies from both countries. The growth in the number of exporters, the increase in the volume of services provided, and the registration of a resident with Serbian ownership create a favorable foundation for the further development of partnerships in IT outsourcing, BPO/KPO, digital solutions, startups, and joint technology projects. This positions Serbia not merely as another potential destination for Uzbek technology exports, but as a partner with substantial experience in building and selling internationally competitive digital services.

For Uzbekistan, closer cooperation with Serbia could generate several strategic benefits.

First, Serbia can serve as a platform for Uzbek technology companies to gain experience working with European customers, adapt their products to international requirements and build stronger overseas sales channels.

Second, Serbia’s established startup and acceleration infrastructure can help Uzbek startups improve investment readiness, connect with international investors and expand into new markets.

Third, cooperation in logistics technology, GameDev, GovTech, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity could support Uzbekistan’s transition towards higher-value technology and knowledge-based services exports.

For Serbian companies, Uzbekistan represents both a rapidly growing domestic market of around 38 million people and a gateway to the broader Central Asian region.

Serbian technology and service companies can use Uzbekistan to establish delivery centers and BPO/KPO operations, form joint development teams, identify technology partners and test products before expanding them into neighboring regional markets.

Uzbekistan also offers a growing pool of technical talent, an increasingly dynamic startup ecosystem, support mechanisms for technology companies and rising demand for digital solutions across both the public and private sectors.

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.

Interview of Akramjon Nematov, First Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan (ISRS), with Dunyo IA.

- The historic state visit of the President of Uzbekistan to the Kyrgyz Republic has once again drawn considerable attention within the expert community to the construction of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway. What place did this project occupy during the high-level talks in Bishkek and which aspects were at the center of the discussions between the two leaders?

- Indeed, recent state visit was truly a historic event, opening a new chapter in the development of Uzbekistan–Kyrgyzstan relations. The high-level talks took place in an atmosphere of unprecedented trust, mutual understanding, and strategic partnership, confirming that bilateral cooperation has advanced to the fundamentally new level of an alliance.

A central item on the agenda was the practical implementation of what is already widely referred to as the “project of the century” - the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway. Following many years of discussion, the project has entered the active construction phase and the two leaders held detailed discussions on the progress of this unprecedented undertaking.

Of particular significance was President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev's emphasis on the need to accelerate construction of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway, describing it as one of the key drivers of the region's long-term economic development.

In essence, this is far more than another infrastructure project. A new architecture of Eurasian connectivity is taking shape - one that will enable Central Asia to strengthen its strategic agency, expand access to global markets, and diversify its external economic ties. This explains why the two leaders devoted such close attention to coordinating the practical implementation of the project and to the further development of regional transport infrastructure.

It is equally important to note that, thanks to close coordination at the highest political level, construction is progressing ahead of the original schedule. Although initially planned to take at least five years, the project is now expected to be completed one year earlier than originally anticipated.

This reflects an exceptional level of resource mobilization. More than 10,000 specialists and over 7,000 pieces of heavy construction equipment are already engaged on site. The railway is opening an entirely new chapter in the development of Central Asia, fundamentally reshaping both the geopolitical and geoeconomic landscape of the region.

- What is the geoeconomic significance of this corridor for Eurasia as a whole, and how will it transform the position of the region, particularly Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan?

- Project fundamentally redraws the transport and logistics map of Eurasia by creating the shortest and most efficient overland route between East and West a modern “Iron Silk Road”.

Traditionally, Central Asia has been viewed in global trade primarily as a landlocked region with limited transit potential. The commissioning of this railway will transform the region from a logistical cul-de-sac into one of the principal crossroads of Eurasian trade.

Projected annual capacity of the new railway will reach 15 million tonnes. To appreciate its scale, it is worth noting that the entire railway network of Kyrgyzstan transported 10.5 million tons of cargo in 2025. In other words, once the railway reaches its designed capacity, the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway alone will be capable of handling a greater freight volume than the current throughput of Kyrgyzstan's entire national railway system.

For Uzbekistan, project represents a major step toward consolidating its position as a regional transit hub, providing direct and secure access to the markets of South Asia, the Middle East and, ultimately, Europe.

For Kyrgyzstan, it will facilitate the large-scale economic integration of previously hard-to-access mountainous regions, create new jobs, and stimulate national economic development.

Railway will shorten the route from China to Europe and the Middle East by approximately 900 kilometres, while reducing cargo delivery times by seven to eight days, thereby decreasing dependence on the limited number of northern and maritime transport corridors.

However, project's significance extends well beyond shorter routes and faster delivery times. Railway is becoming a key element in shaping the new economic geography of Central Asia. It will transform the region from a passive transit area into an active organizer of Eurasian transport flows. This fundamentally changes the position of our countries within the global economy.

- How does this railway fit into the broader architecture of Eurasian connectivity alongside the Middle Corridor, Trans-Afghan routes and transport corridors through Iran?

- Rather than competing with other transport routes, it complements them by forming a single, integrated network of connectivity. First, the railway will connect directly with the Middle Corridor or Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), creating a seamless freight corridor linking China through Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, across the Caspian Sea and onward to the Caucasus and Europe.

Second, by integrating with the emerging Trans-Afghan transport projects and Iran's transport network, the railway will create a powerful north-south and east-west transport crossroads. Central Asia will become a pivotal hub for continental trade, where cargo flows from China to South Asia, the Middle East, and Europe converge.

Looking at the broader picture, it becomes clear that integrating the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway with the Middle Corridor, Trans-Afghan route and transport links through Iran will establish an entirely new system of Eurasian connectivity.

Central Asia will no longer depend on just one or two external transport routes. Instead, it will gain the flexibility to redistribute trade flows across multiple corridors simultaneously. This will significantly strengthen the region's economic resilience while enhancing its strategic autonomy.

The greater the number of complementary transport corridors available to Central Asia, the greater its ability to determine its own development trajectory and the less vulnerable its economies will be to external geopolitical disruptions.

That is why this project should be viewed not merely as a transport initiative, but as a long-term investment in the resilience of Central Asia as an integrated economic space.

- You mentioned that, in the future, this corridor is expected to connect with the Trans-Afghan route. How is the implementation of the Termez–Naibabad–Maidanshahr–Logar–Kharlachi railway progressing today, and what impact could the success of the “project of the century” have on it?

- Work on the Trans-Afghan railway is also moving forward steadily. Active practical efforts are underway, and following the completion of field surveys, the feasibility study for this major transport corridor is expected to be finalized by the end of the year.

At the same time, the rapid pace of construction of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway and the scale of resources committed to the project clearly demonstrate Uzbekistan's capacity to successfully implement some of the world's most complex cross-border infrastructure projects.

The success of this “project of the century” significantly strengthens our engineering and organizational capabilities, demonstrates the country's unwavering political commitment and serves as a powerful catalyst for future initiatives.

Practical implementation of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway has established an exceptionally high benchmark in terms of both pace and execution, creating strong positive momentum for advancing the Trans-Afghan railway, which will provide Central Asia with the shortest overland access to the ports of the Indian Ocean.

- Some observers argue that the railway will primarily serve as a transit corridor. Will it also become a driver of industrial development and economic growth, particularly in the Fergana Valley?

- It is a misconception to view the railway solely as a transit pipeline for foreign goods. The project has been designed as both a multimodal transport corridor and an industrial development framework. Alongside its transit function, the railway will become a powerful catalyst for the development of domestic industry and manufacturing. Growth zones are already emerging around the railway's key junctions.

A good example is the construction of the Makmal freight transfer station in Kyrgyzstan. It is being designed not merely as a technical railway facility but as a fully-fledged regional transport and logistics hub, incorporating cargo terminals, warehouses, manufacturing and processing facilities, and a wide range of service infrastructure.

Industry will benefit from reliable and efficient logistics for both raw materials and finished products, reducing transportation costs while enhancing competitiveness. The Fergana Valley will be among the principal beneficiaries of the project.

As one of the most densely populated and economically dynamic regions of Central Asia and historically the heart of the region - Fergana Valley has been presented with a unique opportunity to reclaim the pivotal role it played for centuries.

Historically, some of the most important branches of the Great Silk Road passed through this region. Today, thanks to the new railway, the Fergana Valley is once again becoming a center of Eurasian connectivity. Rather than remaining on the periphery of the regional transport system, the valley will evolve into a major production, logistics, and investment hub for the entire continent.

Running through Kashgar, Torugart, Arpa, Makmal, Jalal-Abad and Andijan, the railway will connect the key nodes of this macro-region, attracting investment, revitalizing cross-border trade and removing longstanding logistical bottlenecks. This fundamentally transforms the development model of border regions. Instead of peripheral territories, they will become dynamic zones of economic growth, industrial cooperation and business activity.

Ultimately, these developments elevate Uzbek–Kyrgyz relations to an entirely new level of alliance, where jointly overcoming some of the world's most demanding engineering challenges in the high mountains fosters profound mutual trust and transforms the border into a zone of peace and shared prosperity.

- Will this corridor also be used for passenger transport and what impact could it have on tourism and business?

- From the outset, the project has been designed not only as a freight corridor but also as a passenger railway. Its technical specifications provide for passenger train speeds of up to 120 km/h, even in the challenging mountainous terrain. In practical terms, this represents a genuine transformation. Businesspeople, engineers, and executives will be able to travel quickly and comfortably between the major commercial centers of China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, helping to create a more integrated investment environment.

It is worth recalling that the number of joint ventures between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan has already reached 450, and the launch of the railway is expected to stimulate business activity many times over. The railway will also connect the spectacular mountain landscapes of the Tian Shan, iconic destinations such as Issyk-Kul, the historic cities of the Fergana Valley, as well as Samarkand and Bukhara, through a single high-speed rail network. Tourists will be able to cross borders within a matter of hours, generating a substantial multiplier effect for tourism, the service sector, and people-to-people exchanges.

- Some experts have expressed concerns that the railway could simply turn Central Asia into a market for Chinese goods. How would you respond to such assessments?

- Such views are based on an outdated perception of Central Asia as merely a supplier of raw materials. Today's reality is fundamentally different.

First, the countries of the region are implementing ambitious industrialization programs. In recent years, Central Asia has recorded some of the highest rates of industrial growth across Eurasia. In Uzbekistan, industrial output has increased by more than 70 percent over the past eight years, while manufacturing production has nearly doubled. Today, the manufacturing sector accounts for around 80 percent of the country's total industrial output. The fastest-growing industries include machinery manufacturing, electrical engineering, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, metallurgy and textiles. At the same time, the production and export of higher value-added manufactured goods continue to expand steadily.

Kyrgyzstan has likewise demonstrated impressive industrial growth. In 2025, industrial production increased by 10.6 percent, while total industrial output has more than doubled over the past five years. Manufacturing accounted for 79.7 percent of the country's total industrial production. The strongest growth has been recorded in the food processing, chemical, pharmaceutical, construction materials, and manufacturing industries. Meanwhile, new production facilities, industrial zones, and logistics centres are being established to support international transport corridors.

Second, the benefits are mutual. Our countries will gain exceptionally fast access to China's market of more than 1.4 billion consumers, creating significant new export opportunities for agricultural products, textiles, non-ferrous metals, chemicals, electrical equipment, construction materials, and other value-added manufactured goods.

Moreover, during the recent state visit, considerable attention was devoted to the proactive development of modern industrial zones, logistics hubs and manufacturing facilities along the entire railway corridor. Uzbekistan's initiatives are specifically aimed at promoting joint manufacturing, industrial cooperation and the localization of new production chains - not at turning the region into a mere transit corridor.

In effect, a new industrial belt of Eurasia is taking shape, with Central Asia emerging not as a final consumer market but as an integral participant in global value chains. Consequently, the railway is needed not only to transport raw materials but increasingly to support the rapidly expanding industrial production of our countries. It is becoming far more than a transport corridor - it is laying the foundation for a new model of economic development in Central Asia based on industrial cooperation, higher value-added production, and deeper integration into the global economy.

- What has been accomplished on the ground so far and is there still scope to maximize the project's benefits?

- The scale of the work already underway is truly impressive and clearly demonstrates that the “project of the century” has entered its most intensive implementation phase. Construction activities are currently being carried out simultaneously at 83 of the 107 planned sites along the Kyrgyz section of the railway. More than 10,000 specialists and over 7,000 pieces of heavy construction equipment are working around the clock.

To appreciate the magnitude of this undertaking in the exceptionally challenging terrain of the Tian Shan Mountains, where construction is taking place at elevations exceeding 3,000 metres, it is enough to look at the figures. To date, more than 19.6 million cubic metres of earth have been excavated, including over 5.26 million cubic metres for the construction of the strategically important Makmal station.

At the same time, a network of 26 tunnels is under construction. More than 13.5 kilometres of the main tunnels have already been excavated, while excavation of the auxiliary adits has exceeded 51 percent of the planned volume. Approximately one-third of the tunnelling work is being carried out using advanced mechanized methods without the use of blasting technology. Construction is also underway on 38 of the 50 bridges envisaged under the project—equivalent to 76 percent of the total - with nearly 2,400 foundation piles already installed.

In other words, highly complex engineering challenges virtually unprecedented in the region - are being solved every day. The implementation of the project is simultaneously becoming the largest platform for training engineering specialists, introducing advanced construction technologies and developing new expertise in the transport sector.

Cooperation with Chinese partners, who possess world-class experience in delivering large-scale infrastructure projects under extremely challenging conditions, enables our specialists to master cutting-edge technological solutions that will subsequently be applied to other major infrastructure projects across Central Asia.

At the same time, the construction of the railway represents only the first stage of the initiative. It is equally important to begin creating the conditions that will allow the new transport corridor to generate the greatest possible economic benefits for all participating countries.

With this objective in mind, experts from the Project Office for the Development Strategy of International Digital Transport Corridors have prepared a number of practical initiatives aimed at maximizing the railway's operational efficiency.

One proposal calls for the establishment of neutral cross-border free technological zones along both the Kyrgyz–Chinese and Kyrgyz–Uzbek borders, operating under the principle of “one stop, one control”. Such an approach would substantially reduce border-crossing times while streamlining customs procedures.

A second initiative involves creating a modern cross-border free economic zone on the Kyrgyz–Uzbek border, incorporating logistics terminals, industrial facilities and processing industries. This would transform freight traffic into a source of higher value-added production, new employment opportunities, and integrated cross-border manufacturing value chains.

In addition, it has been proposed to establish a joint engineering and design bureau that would serve as a center for developing advanced technical solutions for the operation of high-altitude railways.

Another proposal envisions introducing a single digital transport document, integrating the railway administrations and customs authorities of the three participating countries into a unified digital system.

However, the project's greatest value extends far beyond transport infrastructure. The China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway is, in effect, creating a new model of regional development based on interconnected economies, industrial cooperation, technological partnership, and the joint utilization of the competitive advantages of our countries. It creates the conditions for Central Asia to move beyond its traditional transit role and emerge as an independent centre of manufacturing, logistics, and value creation.

Its political significance is equally important. Only a decade ago, the implementation of such an ambitious initiative would have seemed virtually impossible due to accumulated disagreements and a lack of trust among the countries of the region. Today, thanks to a consistent policy of good-neighbourliness, open dialogue, and mutual support, Central Asia is demonstrating an entirely new level of regional cooperation.

In this sense, the railway is becoming not only a symbol of transport connectivity but also a tangible embodiment of a new political culture in the region one founded on trust, pragmatism and shared responsibility for the future.

For this reason, the significance of the project will ultimately be measured not only by the millions of tons of cargo transported or the kilometres of railway constructed, but above all by the fact that it lays a durable foundation for the sustainable development, economic self-reliance, and strategic agency of Central Asia as a whole.

This May, Baku will serve as the world's leading platform for discussions on the future of cities. From May 17 to 22, the capital of Azerbaijan will host the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum – the United Nations' leading global forum on sustainable urbanization. The forum's theme is "Housing for All: A Better Urban Future." Organizers indicate that the forum will address both the global housing crisis and the broader impact of housing on building inclusive, resilient, and climate-adapted urban environments.

According to UN-Habitat, nearly 3 billion people worldwide currently lack access to safe and affordable housing, more than 1.1 billion live in informal settlements or slums, and over 300 million are entirely without shelter.

For Uzbekistan, participation in this forum represents an opportunity to present its unique model of urban transformation to an international audience. Having moved beyond its image as a predominantly agrarian republic with ancient historic cities, the country today projects a new reality – expanding agglomerations, large-scale infrastructure modernization, and the growing significance of regional centers.

According to the National Committee on Statistics, as of January 1, 2026, the permanent population of the Republic of Uzbekistan exceeded 38 million, with the urbanization rate reaching 51 percent, representing nearly 20 million urban residents.

These figures mark a significant historical milestone. Uzbekistan has entered a stage in which national strength is measured not only by the throughput capacity of export corridors or the number of industrial zones, but also by the quality, connectivity, environmental sustainability, and economic productivity of its cities.

In contemporary Uzbekistan, a city is no longer merely an administrative unit. It is a place where young people receive education, entrepreneurs launch businesses, families seek affordable housing, and the state tests new approaches to infrastructure, transportation, and territorial governance. Rapid urbanization, however, is frequently perceived as a source of risk.

Indeed, when a city grows faster than its engineering networks, transportation arteries, and social infrastructure – schools, hospitals, parks –it begins to generate social tension rather than opportunity.

The Uzbek experience, however, is of particular interest precisely because urbanization is increasingly treated as a manageable resource for development. This process encompasses not only the construction of new districts, but also a transition toward a fundamentally higher quality of urban environment.

As the President of Uzbekistan has noted, each 1-percent point increase in the urbanization rate generates at least 1 percent of additional economic growth, with commensurate increases in investment flows, business and startup activity, and labor productivity. For this reason, Uzbekistan is developing a unified approach to the sustainable management of urbanization across the country.

To this end, the National Committee on Sustainable Urbanization and Housing Market Development has been established, tasked with implementing state policy in the areas of urbanization, housing construction, urban renewal, and mortgage lending. The Committee will also coordinate and advance programs across these domains.

The Future of Uzbekistan's Cities

According to World Bank projections, more than half of Uzbekistan's population currently resides in cities, and this share could exceed 60% by 2050. Such a trajectory means that urban planning, transportation, waste management, utility services, and public spaces are no longer merely matters of convenience –they are becoming a key determinant of national competitiveness.

This is where the core analytical insight lies: for Uzbekistan, urbanization is not a byproduct of demographic growth but a powerful lever of modernization whose economic rationale is abundantly clear. Quality infrastructure stimulates labor mobility, a livable urban environment attracts investment and talent, and the development of regional centers alleviates pressure on the capital.

While Tashkent naturally plays a pivotal role as the primary center of gravity, the country's sustainable development requires a deliberate shift of focus toward other cities.

Supported by the Asian Development Bank, cities such as Jizzakh, Khavast, Khiva, and Yangiyer are emerging as anchor points of this new geography, where projects for modern and inclusive infrastructure are being implemented. These cities exemplify the transformation of regional centers from peripheral locations into autonomous hubs of growth.

This approach fundamentally reframes the development philosophy. At its core lies not simply the decongestion of Tashkent, but a comprehensive strategy for creating genuine alternatives in the regions –with new employment opportunities, public spaces, transportation connectivity, a business-enabling environment, and high-quality municipal services.

To give powerful impetus to entrepreneurship in the regions, establish production of high value-added goods, and introduce urban living standards and conditions in rural mahallas, a program has been approved for the creation of 33 model districts and cities embodying the "New Uzbekistan" vision. The strategic objectives set by the President of Uzbekistan in this domain are ultimately aimed at transforming the architectural character of New Uzbekistan, while ensuring a dignified standard of living for the population and confidence in the future.

All of these measures are critically important for a country with a predominantly young population, since relocation to the capital must not be perceived by young people as the only viable path to self-fulfillment. In this sense, second-tier cities offer a new life scenario –education, employment, business, and a dignified existence without having to leave one's hometown.

Large-scale investment is being mobilized to realize this potential. In December 2025, the World Bank approved a financial package for Uzbekistan totaling $250 million. The funds will be directed toward improving municipal infrastructure and urban services in 16 districts and cities. The program covers territories with a combined population of approximately 3.6 million people and is expected to directly improve living conditions for roughly 1 million people by 2030. Among the anticipated outcomes are improved transportation access for 300,000 residents, the development of parks and public spaces for 400,000 residents, and the creation of approximately 10,000 temporary jobs in the construction sector.

Uzbekistan's Positive Achievements in Urban Development and Urbanization

Those figures matter not merely as investment statistics. They demonstrate that urban infrastructure is a form of social policy.

A compelling illustration of this principle is the experience of the Aral Sea region, which can be presented as a practical case study in implementing new approaches to territorial adaptation, water resource management, community support, and climate risk mitigation.

It is here that questions of urbanization acquire particular depth. How does one develop settlements in an ecologically vulnerable zone? How does one create employment where the natural environment has suffered severe degradation? How does one integrate afforestation, water security, public health, infrastructure, and the local economy into a coherent whole?

The answers to these questions are relevant not only for Uzbekistan. They hold lessons for many regions of the world where climate change, land degradation, and water scarcity are already affecting urban quality of life. Indeed, the story of Uzbek urbanization is significant not only as a national case study, but as a reflection of a broader strategic shift underway across Central Asia.

This shift marks a move beyond the traditional perception of the region through the prism of geopolitics, energy, raw materials, and transportation corridors. Today, the relevant question is framed differently: what will the cities of Central Asia look like?

Will they simply expand, consuming land and overstretching infrastructure? Or will they evolve into spaces where economic growth is reconciled with environmental responsibility, affordable housing, public transportation, green zones, and meaningful civic participation?

Uzbekistan stands precisely at this crossroads. Its advantages lie in its scale, demographics, and growing attention to regional development. Its challenge is to ensure that the quality of urban planning keeps pace with rapid urban growth.

In this sense, Baku –as host of the World Urban Forum –becomes a symbolic platform for the entire region. For Uzbekistan, it is an opportunity to demonstrate that its urbanization agenda carries both national and international significance. The country has the potential to offer the world a pragmatic yet human-centered approach –one in which the region functions not only as an economic node, but also as a mechanism of social resilience.

Altogether, Uzbekistan today stands on the threshold of the most ambitious urbanization reforms in its history. The new strategic plan envisions decisive measures aimed at supporting demographic growth and improving the welfare of the population. This is the central meaning of Uzbekistan's new urbanization.

Tursunboy Zikirov and Alisher Nizamov,

Heads of Departments,

The Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies

under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan

The development of trade and economic cooperation between Uzbekistan and Belarus, expansion of bilateral trade, enhancement of export potential, and strengthening of investment ties remain among the key priorities of economic relations between the two countries. Consistent efforts undertaken in this direction are contributing to the diversification of export markets, improvement of logistics chains, and expansion of cooperation between the business communities of both nations.

Against this backdrop, the Belagro–2026 International Agricultural Exhibition and Fair, one of the largest international events in the agricultural sector, was held in Minsk, Republic of Belarus, from 1 to 6 June 2026. An official delegation of the Republic of Uzbekistan participated in the exhibition, holding a series of meetings and negotiations focused on expanding trade and economic cooperation, increasing exports, strengthening investment partnerships, and implementing joint projects in the agricultural sector.

Within the framework of the exhibition, the National Pavilion of Uzbekistan, organized by UZAGROSTAR HOLDING, showcased a wide range of agricultural and food products produced in Uzbekistan. The pavilion was visited by Rahmatulla Nazarov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Republic of Belarus; Yuriy Shuleyko, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus; and Aleksandr Yakovchis, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Belarus. During the visit, the parties discussed the quality and export potential of Uzbek agricultural products, as well as their prospects in the Belarusian market.

The exhibition also served as a platform for meetings with leading Belarusian retail chains, importing companies, and wholesale market operators. Discussions focused on establishing systematic supplies of Uzbek agricultural products to Belarus, expanding the range of exported goods, increasing bilateral trade volumes, and strengthening direct cooperation between Uzbek exporters and Belarusian importers.

In particular, meetings with the management of the Noviy Lebyajiy wholesale market in the Minsk district explored opportunities for exporting fresh fruits, vegetables, and processed agricultural products under long-term contracts, establishing sustainable B2B partnerships, and creating dedicated trading areas for Uzbek producers.

Special attention was also devoted to cooperation in the livestock sector. Following negotiations with the Belarusian organization Belplemjivobyedineniye, a cooperation agreement was signed to supply high-yield pedigree cattle to entrepreneurs in the Samarkand region of Uzbekistan. The agreement represents a practical continuation of ongoing efforts aimed at improving breeding programs and increasing livestock productivity.

Furthermore, the delegation visited the Ozerco-Logistik trade and logistics center in the Minsk district to study Belarus's experience in developing logistics and customs infrastructure. The visit provided valuable insights into international cargo storage and redistribution, digital logistics systems, and customs clearance procedures, creating new opportunities for exchanging best practices in export logistics.

In the area of investment cooperation, a meeting with the leadership of the Mogilev Regional Executive Committee resulted in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between MARAQAND MEAT LLC of Uzbekistan and the Mogilev Regional Executive Committee on establishing a modern livestock production complex in Belarus. The memorandum establishes a legal framework for expanding bilateral investment cooperation and implementing joint projects in the agro-industrial sector.

The Uzbek delegation also visited advanced agricultural enterprises in the Vitebsk region, where they exchanged experience on the development of intensive livestock farming, efficient farm management, strengthening the feed base, introducing digital agricultural technologies, and implementing joint investment projects.

Today, the Consultative Meetings of the Heads of State of Central Asia provide the region’s leaders with a regular platform to align their positions on issues that shape the future of Central Asia as a whole. Over the course of eight summits, direct dialogue has evolved into sustained engagement at the level of national coordinators, relevant ministries and agencies, regions, and business communities. From an economic perspective, it is particularly important that trade, industry, transport, and investment are being addressed with due consideration for the interdependence of national development plans.

Central Asia has arrived at its current model of cooperation within a relatively short period of time. In 2017, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed holding regular meetings of the region’s leaders, and the first such meeting took place in Astana in March 2018. The format was built around direct dialogue, allowing the states themselves to define the range of common issues and coordinate their positions in areas where results depend on the actions of neighboring countries. At the same time, the format has retained its fundamentally consultative nature, based on the independence of its participants.

As the scope of cooperation expanded, the necessary mechanisms were gradually established. In 2021, establishment of a Business Council was proposed. In 2022, the Treaty on Friendship, Good-Neighbourliness and Cooperation for the Development of Central Asia in the 21^st Century was signed. The Council of National Coordinators was established in 2023, and a year later the Central Asia 2040 Concept for the Development of Regional Cooperation was adopted. In this way, political dialogue acquired an institutional and legal framework between summits while preserving the flexibility of the original format.

Uzbekistan’s chairmanship in 2025 significantly strengthened sectoral cooperation. More than 20 major sectoral and interregional events were held, including the Interregional Cooperation Forum at the level of deputy prime ministers. Ahead of the Seventh Consultative Meeting in Tashkent, the first meeting of the Council of Ministers of Trade and Investment of the Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan was held. Discussions focused on practical objectives: increasing mutual trade to USD 20 billion, establishing production facilities under the “Made in Central Asia” brand, and attracting international financial institutions to infrastructure and industrial projects.

The current scale of economic ties makes it possible to pursue more ambitious objectives. By the end of 2025, Uzbekistan’s trade turnover with the Central Asian countries had reached USD 8.3 billion, an increase of 15.2 percent. In the same year, the volume of direct investment and loans attracted from countries in the region amounted to USD 1.3 billion. Growing trade and investment activity is creating a foundation for deeper industrial cooperation and the development of production chains among enterprises across the region.

This is the underlying rationale of “Made in Central Asia.” Enterprises from several countries can participate in the creation of a final product by distributing individual stages of production among themselves. For Uzbek businesses, such a model expands the pool of potential customers and enables production to be planned in response to demand beyond the domestic market. A practical foundation is already taking shape: an Action Plan for the Development of Industrial Cooperation for 2025–2027 has been approved, bilateral investment funds have been established, cross-border trade zones and industrial cooperation centers are being developed, and joint sectoral projects are being implemented.

The economics of production chains is directly dependent on logistics. The China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway, as well as the Trans-Afghan and Trans-Caspian routes, involve different groups of participating countries.

The consultative platform provides an opportunity to coordinate countries’ infrastructure plans, border crossing operations, and logistics hubs in advance. In 2025, Uzbekistan proposed establishing an Infrastructure Development Council at the level of deputy prime ministers in order to place such coordination on a permanent footing.

A more favorable business environment is also being shaped through decisions taken in bilateral and trilateral formats. Since 2023, citizens of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan have been able to cross the shared border using ID cards. In 2025, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan signed a treaty on the junction point of their state borders. These measures facilitate travel, business contacts, and cross-border trade.

Azerbaijan’s accession as a full-fledged participant in November 2025 expanded the permanent dialogue toward the South Caucasus and brought into the format a country located along the continuation of the Trans-Caspian routes. This makes it possible to address trade, transport, energy, and investment issues within a broader economic geography.

At the same time, the planning horizon is expanding. The Central Asia 2040 Concept established long-term priorities, while at the Tashkent summit Uzbekistan proposed developing a Comprehensive Regional Program for Trade and Economic Cooperation through 2035, adopting a Declaration on a Common Investment Space, and introducing a joint program for the development of e-commerce. For businesses, these initiatives create a more predictable horizon for planning investments, supply chains, and entry into neighboring markets.

Uzbekistan’s proposal to move toward a strategic “Central Asian Community” format also fits within this longer-term perspective, with the aim of strengthening continuity in the implementation of long-term infrastructure, industrial, and investment initiatives.

Following the conclusion of Uzbekistan’s chairmanship, the focus continued to shift toward new forms of economic connectivity. At the informal meeting of the heads of state of Central Asia and Azerbaijan in July 2026, Uzbekistan proposed substantive work on integrated industrial and technological value chains, shared digital services, and investment platforms.

The mechanisms developed in recent years make it possible to connect suppliers across several countries, establish production facilities serving broader markets, attract capital to projects of regional scale, and incorporate logistics considerations from the earliest stages of investment planning. The established channels of cooperation facilitate the transition from strategic priorities to concrete projects while preserving each state’s independence in decision-making. Translating high-level agreements into programs and measurable results is what defines the substance of the next stage.

For Uzbekistan, this represents a qualitatively new scale of regional economic policy. Central Asia is becoming a space where coordinated decisions expand the potential market for national enterprises, connect production capacities, open new routes, and strengthen the foundation for investment. This is precisely where the strategic significance of the platform lies: the countries of the region are themselves shaping the conditions for long-term growth, while Uzbekistan consistently advances initiatives that translate the potential of good-neighborly relations into tangible economic opportunities.

In today's interconnected world, a country's attractiveness is measured not only by its economic potential or cultural heritage, but also by how safe people feel in their daily lives. Public safety has become one of the key factors influencing tourism, investment and international cooperation.

According to the Safety Perceptions Index 2023, published by the Institute for Economics & Peace (Vision of Humanity), Uzbekistan ranks first among 121 countries worldwide in perceived personal safety.

The index is based on data from the World Risk Poll and measures people's perception of safety in everyday life rather than official crime statistics.

This achievement reflects the effectiveness of Uzbekistan's ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening public security, modernizing infrastructure, expanding digital public services and pursuing a policy of openness.

Today, Uzbekistan continues to strengthen its position as one of Central Asia's most attractive destinations for tourism, investment and international partnership. Visa liberalization, improved connectivity, modern infrastructure and the country's renowned hospitality have created a welcoming environment for visitors from around the world.

International experts increasingly recognize that the perception of safety has become one of the most important factors shaping travel decisions. In this context, Uzbekistan's leading position in the Safety Perceptions Index 2023 reinforces the country's reputation as a reliable, secure and welcoming destination.

Combining the legacy of the ancient Silk Road with modern development, openness and social stability, Uzbekistan offers a unique environment where history, innovation and security come together.

Uzbekistan — a country of trust, stability and opportunity.

Ahead of the second meeting of the Termez Dialogue on Connectivity between Central and South Asia, a landmark event for interregional integration scheduled for June 4–6, Akramjon Ne’matov, First Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan, answered questions from Dunyo IA.

— Akramjon Ilhomovich, the second meeting within the framework of the Termez Dialogue will begin in the coming days. What is on the agenda of this forum, and what are its key priorities? Most observers primarily associate this process with economic issues — railways, energy infrastructure, and transit trade. Is this the core essence of connectivity?

— Undoubtedly, the economy is one of the key components. Economic cooperation creates tangible shared interests that bind states together, generates mutual benefits, and serves as the foundation for the prosperity and growth of our peoples. Naturally, when we speak about transregional connectivity, logistics, trade, transport corridors, energy, and infrastructure constitute the essential and tangible foundation of this process.

However, connectivity cannot be measured solely in economic terms. Our agenda is far broader, and our objectives are far more ambitious. We are speaking about the creation of a common space of trust, sustainable development, and indivisible security across the vast Eurasian continent.

That is precisely why the agenda of the Termez Dialogue is so comprehensive and why its composition of participants is highly inclusive. This year’s meeting is being organized in partnership with the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA). This is no coincidence, as CICA’s core mission has always been to strengthen confidence-building measures across Asia. The dialogue is also being actively supported by the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

Although Central and South Asia remain at the geographic core of the discussions, countries from across the Eurasian space and beyond are full-fledged participants and stakeholders in this dialogue, as clearly evidenced by the delegations arriving from Azerbaijan, China, Germany, Qatar, Russia, Switzerland, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, the United States, and many other countries.

It is important to emphasize that the Termez Dialogue itself represents a practical embodiment of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s global initiative aimed at strengthening connectivity between Central and South Asia. This strategic vision received unanimous international support and was formally enshrined in a special United Nations General Assembly resolution adopted in 2022. The significance of this resolution can hardly be overstated: it established a long-term international legal framework for transregional rapprochement and recognized it as a key factor for sustainable development. More broadly, this step clearly reflects our President’s far-sighted strategic approach, which is based on the consistent development of interstate relations grounded in mutual benefit, genuine good-neighborliness, and preventive peacebuilding.

The dialogue is also co-organized by respected peacebuilding organizations, political foundations, and leading academic institutions. Among them are the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, the Berghof Foundation (Germany), PeaceNexus (Switzerland), Search for Common Ground (United States), as well as the renowned Georgetown University. Our shared objective is to establish a genuinely inclusive multilateral platform for comprehensive and open dialogue.

— What does the programme of the upcoming dialogue include? Will it be limited solely to official plenary sessions?

— Our dialogue is a large-scale three-day forum, and its programme extends far beyond traditional plenary sessions. We seek to combine profound theoretical discussion with practical outcomes.

In addition to the main sessions, the programme includes a wide range of important side events.

In particular, the forum will host a series of expert and academic discussions devoted to cooperation between the countries of Central Asia and Afghanistan, the development of dialogue within the Afghanistan–Uzbekistan–Pakistan dialogue format, issues of regional identity in Central Asia, as well as the promotion of youth dialogue on peacebuilding and sustainable development.

The primary purpose of these discussions is to mobilize intellectual and analytical expertise in support of a constructive cooperation agenda, deeper mutual understanding, and the establishment of long-term mechanisms for regional interaction.

Moreover, the programme includes on-site sessions. Participants of the dialogue will travel to Termez to familiarize themselves firsthand with the modern infrastructure facilitating trade, economic, and logistics cooperation with South Asian countries, including the activities of the Ayrtom International Trade Center and the Termez Cargo Center international logistics hub, while also experiencing the rich cultural and historical heritage of this ancient city.

The third day of the dialogue will take place in Samarkand, where delegates will explore the unique civilizational legacy of the Renaissance of Samarkand, which historically served as a bridge between East and West, North and South.

— How exactly is economic growth connected with stability and security? Is this purely a matter of business calculation, or do economic projects represent something greater?

— Absolutely, it represents something far greater. We are speaking about the formation of long-term strategic common interests. Large-scale cross-border projects are designed to firmly connect regions and deepen their interdependence. When countries become economically invested in joint creation and development, conflict ceases to serve the interests of any participant.

Moreover, sustainable economic growth removes the social foundations of destructive phenomena such as poverty, unemployment, and social marginalization, which have traditionally served as the principal fuel for radicalism and instability. Economic development addresses the root causes of challenges rather than merely dealing with their consequences.

Take, for example, the Trans-Afghan Railway Corridor project — “Termez–Mazar-i-Sharif–Kabul–Naibabad–Kharlachi”. For the countries of Central Asia, it provides the shortest route to the ports of the Indian Ocean, reducing logistics costs by 30–40 percent. For Pakistan and South Asia, it creates direct access to the resources and markets of our region.

This project will serve as a powerful driver for the development of adjacent sectors of the economy, creating new jobs, generating budget revenues, and opening the path toward accelerated technological advancement. Most importantly, however, this corridor integrates Afghanistan into the processes of peaceful and constructive development.

Thus, the Trans-Afghan railway is not merely a commercial or engineering project — it is a highly effective peacebuilding instrument that creates long-term economic incentives for peace on Afghan soil. The same principle applies to other major cross-border initiatives such as CASA-1000 and the TAPI gas pipeline. Their greatest value lies in the fact that they create a shared and indivisible interest among all parties in maintaining long-term peace and stability across the region.

— What role do the shared ecosystem and climate change issues play on the agenda? Central and South Asia are facing enormous pressure from environmental challenges.

— This is one of the most important and sensitive issues. Nature and our shared ecosystem most clearly demonstrate the inseparable link between our regions and the vital necessity of collective responses to common challenges.

Climate change illustrates how closely interconnected water security, food security, energy security, transport systems, and human livelihoods truly are. When the glaciers of the Pamirs and Tien Shan melt, this directly affects water supply and agriculture in both Central and South Asia.

Droughts and extreme weather events are our common challenges, requiring exclusively joint responses, because they directly affect the existential foundations of life for hundreds of millions of people and shape the trajectory of our sustainable development.

That is why the agenda of the dialogue includes issues related to joint adaptation and environmental sustainability. We are convinced that effective solutions cannot consist of isolated national measures; they must have a transboundary character.

We are actively engaged in this area. In particular, our Afghan partners are permanent participants in the water dialogue organized by Uzbekistan and Central Asia as a whole. Afghan delegations have actively participated in Tashkent Water Week, conferences on water diplomacy, and other regional environmental forums.

There is an ongoing joint search for mutually acceptable and equitable solutions in the sphere of shared water resource management, because nature does not recognize political borders. Today, we increasingly see that issues which could potentially become sources of tension, when approached properly, can instead provide the foundation for mutually beneficial cooperation.

The growing awareness of our shared environmental threats is becoming a powerful driver of our collective constructive efforts.

— What place do culture and the humanitarian dimension occupy within this large-scale transregional framework? How important are they?

— I would answer this way: they constitute our principal and foundational direction. Although we began our conversation with economics, infrastructure, and climate issues, I am convinced that cultural and humanitarian connectivity must come first. Economy and logistics form the skeleton, but culture and shared historical memory are the soul and heart of our integration.

It is important to understand that our countries share a common space of cultural, historical, and civilizational development. We are not building bridges of trust from scratch — this foundation was formed over centuries.

The Termez Dialogue itself is named after the ancient city of Termez, which for millennia served as a gateway for civilizational exchange between Central and South Asia.

On this land, the destinies and traditions of great empires became intertwined — beginning with Sogdiana, ancient Bactria, and the Achaemenid state, and continuing through the era of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, where a unique synthesis of Eastern and Hellenistic cultures emerged.

This was followed by the Kushan Empire, which presented the world with one of the earliest examples of comprehensive interregional integration and transformed Termez into a key hub of the Great Silk Road.

During the Middle Ages, the Turkic Khaganates acted as reliable guarantors of the security of trans-Eurasian trade routes, while the Ghaznavid dynasty created a powerful bridge of statehood linking the high culture of Mawarannahr with the plains of Hindustan.

Finally, the Timurid era and the Mughal Empire founded by Babur became the ultimate culmination of this synthesis. The architectural masterpieces of Samarkand and Bukhara found direct reflection in the majestic ensembles of Delhi, Agra, and Lahore, while a unified cultural layer emerged at the intersection of Old Uzbek, Persian, and Sanskrit languages. Its musical and poetic traditions continue to live within the cultural memory of our peoples to this day.

For centuries, this macro-region developed as a sacred crossroads of world religions. Bactria was one of the cradles of Zoroastrianism. From here, Buddhism spread through Afghanistan to the north and east — the Buddhist monasteries of Fayaztepa and Karatepa in Termez still preserve the memory of this spiritual bridge.

Nestorian Christianity, Tengrianism with its profound ecological philosophy of harmony between humanity and nature, and, of course, Islam — which absorbed the great heritage of religious tolerance and gave rise to the phenomenon of the Eastern Renaissance — all coexisted peacefully in this region.

All of this shaped a unique and resilient culture that has not disappeared but continues to live within our daily practices, thoughts, and traditions.

However, this heritage cannot survive in collective memory on its own — it must constantly be revived and recreated. History is an ongoing act of retelling, and our key task is to restore this great historical truth to active public consciousness.

I am deeply convinced that awareness of this shared heritage will significantly strengthen our collective responsibility for preserving peace and stability.

— But why does this heritage seem forgotten today?

— Unfortunately, over the past century and a half, this historical memory was systematically and deliberately erased from our consciousness.

We were artificially subjected to the destructive colonial stereotype of the “Great Game,” along with the false notion that our regions are doomed to perpetual fragmentation, geopolitical rivalry among external powers, and endless conflict.

To a considerable extent, we still remain under the influence of this harmful stereotype, perceiving Afghanistan exclusively through the prism of threats, while viewing South Asia as something distant, alien, and insecure.

But we are not standing on barren ruins. Our shared history remains alive.

Reviving this historical memory, developing profound expert discourse, and restoring awareness of our shared civilizational greatness represent an enormous historical responsibility borne by today’s generations and political elites. This is precisely one of the principal existential objectives of the Termez Dialogue.

When citizens, intellectuals, and leaders in Tashkent, Delhi, Islamabad, and Kabul begin to see one another not merely as business counterparts, but as heirs to a common cultural code, an entirely new level of trust will emerge.

This sense of belonging to a shared heritage will become the most reliable internal safeguard against any attempts by external actors to destabilize the region or exploit regional contradictions.

The awareness of the indivisibility of our shared destiny will compel nations to choose a constructive agenda without alternative and to reject war once and for all.

Ahead of the Tashkent round of the Termez Dialogue, it is becoming increasingly evident that Uzbekistan is offering the international community a fundamentally different and deeply thought-out philosophy of integration.

This is not merely a technocratic approach to building railways or laying power transmission lines. It is a doctrine in which physical infrastructure serves only as the material embodiment of strong invisible ties rooted in a shared history.

Once this fundamental sense of responsibility and belonging is established, trade routes, investment flows, and climate initiatives will function naturally and sustainably, because the economy will become a logical continuation of mutual civilizational affinity.

The Termez Dialogue is returning to the peoples of Asia their own history, reminding them of what must be cherished and for the sake of what great future peace and stability must be preserved on this sacred land.

Dunyo IA

The Center for Economic Research and Reforms (CERR) has prepared an infographic presenting key indicators of trade, economic and investment cooperation between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan over a nine-year period.

In recent years, economic cooperation between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan has been steadily expanding, now encompassing not only trade but also industrial cooperation across various sectors, particularly energy and agriculture.

A solid legal framework has been established to support bilateral cooperation across multiple areas. In 2018, the countries signed a Treaty on Strategic Partnership, followed by a Treaty on Allied Relations in 2024.

Tajikistan is among Uzbekistan’s key trade and economic partners, ranking 9th among importers of Uzbek goods and accounting for 2% of Uzbekistan’s total exports.

Bilateral trade between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan is conducted under a free trade regime, with total trade turnover approaching $1 bn.

Bilateral Trade Indicators

Trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan increased 3.8 times over 2017–2025, from $237.9 mln to $912.4 mln. Exports grew 3.7 times, from $186.1 mln to $683.1 mln, while imports rose 4.4 times, from $51.8 mln to $229.3 mln. Uzbekistan’s positive trade balance expanded 3.4 times, from $134.3 mln to $453.8 mln.

In 2025, compared to 2024, trade turnover increased by 29.9%, exports by 24.1%, and imports by 13.8%.

The structure of Uzbekistan’s exports to Tajikistan in 2025 totaled $683.1 mln and included: industrial goods (various knitted and felt products, plastic products, rolled metal, etc.) – $222.7 mln (32.6%); machinery and transport equipment (including electrical goods) – $58.7 mln (8.6%); petroleum products (gasoline, gas oil, bitumen) – $53.1 mln (7.8%); chemical products (polymers, sulfates, silicates, fertilizers, paints) – $53 mln (7.8%); food products (animal feed, eggs, confectionery, processed meat products, etc.) – $48.2 mln (7.1%); miscellaneous manufactured goods (construction materials, ready-made garments, silk fabrics) – $21 mln (3.1%); non-food raw materials– $8.1 mln (1.2%); other goods (including goods traded by individuals) – $70.1 mln (10.3%); as well as services (mainly railway transport) – $147.4 mln (21.6%).

The structure of imports from Tajikistan in 2025 totaled $229.3 mln and included: metal ores and concentrates (zinc, copper and precious metals) – $108.9 mln (47.5%); coal – $22.3 mln (9.7%); aluminum – $25.4 mln (11%); electricity – $17.9 mln (7.8%); cotton fiber – $17.6 mln (7.8%); fruits – $7.4 mln (3.2%); ferrous metals – $5.1 mln (2.2%); poultry — $2.4 mln (1.1%); plastic waste – $1.8 mln (0.8%); sulfur, feldspar and others; as well as services (mainly railway transport) – $6.6 mln (2.9%).

Investment Cooperation

As of March 1, 2026, there are 420 enterprises in Uzbekistan with Tajik investment (2.2% of the total number of enterprises with foreign investment), including 110 joint ventures and 310 enterprises with 100% Tajik capital.

In 2025, compared to 2024, the volume of foreign direct investment (FDI) and loans attracted from Tajikistan tripled, increasing from $64 mln to $196 mln. Over 2017–2025, the total volume of attracted FDI and loans from Tajikistan amounted to $373 mln.

The main areas of activity of enterprises with Tajik capital include trade, construction materials production, food industry, transport and other services.

Enterprises with Uzbek investment are also successfully operating in Tajikistan. In particular, major joint projects are being implemented in the energy sector, including the construction of hydropower plants on the Zarafshan River. With the participation of private capital from Uzbekistan, the joint venture “Artel Avesto Electronics” was established in Tajikistan in 2019, producing more than 10 types of household appliances.

Prospects for Trade Expansion

Uzbekistan and Tajikistan share a common border and have well-developed transport infrastructure. Given the short delivery distances, transportation costs can be relatively low, which creates favorable conditions for expanding exports.

In this context, Tajikistan represents a promising market for increasing exports of finished products from Uzbekistan that are not produced domestically in Tajikistan and are imported. These include automobiles, household appliances—especially large-sized goods such as refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners—as well as certain food products, textiles, chemical and other goods.