Central Asia is entering a completely new and historically significant stage of its development. The region is no longer merely a geographic space, but is transforming into a unified political and economic community based on shared goals and interests, mutual trust, good-neighborliness, and a spirit of partnership.
In his article titled “Central Asia on the verge of a new era”
” President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev provides a detailed analysis of this process, its foundations, and its future directions. The following article outlines the new face of modern Central Asia, relying entirely on the information and ideas presented in that source.
A new stage: from distrust to cooperation
As the President emphasizes, the positive atmosphere emerging in the region today did not arise spontaneously. It is the result of the “realization of our shared destiny and potential for joint development” by Central Asian leaders and their purposeful political efforts.
The Consultative Meetings of the Heads of Central Asian States, launched in 2017, marked a turning point in the history of regional cooperation. For the first time in many years, open and systematic dialogue without external intermediaries was established. This, in turn, made it possible to:
- resolve a number of long-standing issues inherited from previous eras,
- move from distrust to practical cooperation,
- develop common approaches to strategic matters affecting the region’s destiny.
The upcoming Tashkent Summit is expected to be a logical continuation of this process and to open a new stage in the effort to build a stable, interconnected, and prosperous Central Asia.
From borders to bridges: resolving historical issues
For much of their independent development, border issues were a source of tension among Central Asian countries. Yet problems once seen as “impossible” have now found practical solutions.
In March 2025, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan signed the Treaty on the Tri-junction Point of the Borders and the Khujand Declaration. As a result:
- all mutual borders among the countries of the region were legally formalized,
- a decades-long source of tension was eliminated,
- and borders that once separated nations have turned into bridges of friendship and cooperation.
Border procedures are also undergoing modern reforms. Since September 2023, citizens of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan have been able to cross the border using ID cards. Similar agreements with Kazakhstan and Tajikistan are being developed. This is expanding the space of free movement and raising people-to-people, trade, humanitarian, and cultural exchanges to a new level.
A new spirit of cooperation in water and energy
The water-energy sector, which was previously a source of serious disputes, is now seeing fundamental positive changes. The article presents several examples:
- Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan signed an agreement to jointly implement the Kambarata HPP-1 project, opening a new chapter in the joint and rational use of regional water and energy resources.
- An agreement between Tashkent and Bishkek on the joint use of the Chashma spring is noted as a symbol of reasonable compromise.
- Cooperation between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan on the Yovon and Fondaryo hydropower plants on the Zarafshan River is advancing.
- Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan reached agreements on the coordinated use of the Bahri Tojik reservoir during the vegetation period.
- An accord was reached with Turkmenistan on the rational use of the Amudarya River, within the framework of an intergovernmental agreement.
These cooperative efforts not only strengthen water and energy security, but also help reduce environmental risks, support economic activity among the population, and enhance the region’s overall energy stability.
Institutional foundations: consultative meetings, councils, and treaties
In recent years, regional cooperation has strengthened not only politically but also institutionally. The article highlights notable steps in this direction:
- At the fifth Consultative Meeting held in Dushanbe in 2023, a decision was made to establish the Council of National Coordinators as a permanent mechanism for preparing and implementing the agreements of the heads of state.
- Regular inter-parliamentary dialogue and meetings at the level of the Secretaries of the Security Councils have been introduced.
- Following the 2022 Cholpon-Ata meeting, the Treaty on Friendship, Good-Neighborliness, and Cooperation for the Development of Central Asia in the 21st Century was signed. Tajikistan’s accession to this treaty in 2025 further strengthened regional unity.
- In 2022, the Concept for Cooperation of the Central Asian States within Multilateral Formats was adopted.
- In 2024, the Astana Summit approved the “Central Asia – 2040” Concept for Regional Cooperation, which defined long-term priorities for security and development.
These documents and institutions give regional cooperation a systematic character and ensure consistent implementation of joint decisions.
A new economic reality
Thanks to the efforts of the states, a new economic reality has emerged in Central Asia. The figures cited in the article demonstrate the scale of this transformation:
- Over the past eight years, the region’s total GDP nearly doubled, reaching 520 billion USD.
- Foreign trade volume more than doubled to 253 billion USD.
- Intra-regional trade doubled to nearly 11 billion USD.
- Mutual investments grew 5.6 times.
- In Uzbekistan alone, trade with regional states increased from 2.4 billion USD in 2016 to 7.2 billion USD in 2024, and the number of joint ventures exceeded 1,800.
The industrial sector shows annual growth of around 6 percent, twice the global average. This is driven by joint investment funds (Uzbekistan–Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan–Tajikistan, Kazakhstan–Kyrgyzstan) and projects in automotive production, electrical engineering, textiles, agriculture, and more.
The Action Plan for 2025–2027 on industrial cooperation is becoming a key tool for partnership. Cross-border trade zones and international industrial cooperation centers stimulate the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises
Humanitarian convergence
Humanitarian rapprochement is one of the most visible dimensions of regional unity. The article highlights:
- the establishment of the Central Asian Women Leaders’ Dialogue and the Youth Platform,
- regular rector and scholar forums since 2022,
- cultural years, exhibitions, concerts, and sports events.
Progress in transportation and connectivity is improving daily life:
- new crossing points are opening,
- air, rail, and bus routes are expanding,
- cultural and humanitarian exchanges have multiplied.
The share of intra-regional tourism exceeding 80 percent testifies to these transformations. What was once a distant aspiration — free movement, closeness, and mutual trust — has become reality.
“Central Asia Plus”
Central Asia is now emerging as an independent and responsible actor in international relations, with clear views on its interests and development path.
As the article notes, while external partners once built relationships mainly on a bilateral basis, today:
- leading global powers and organizations seek to engage Central Asia as a unified region, and
- more than ten “Central Asia Plus” formats are actively functioning.
In 2024 alone, summits were held in the formats:
- “Central Asia – European Union,”
- “Central Asia – China,”
- “Central Asia – Russia,”
- “Central Asia – United States,”
demonstrating the region’s rising strategic importance.
Working groups and secretariats are being created to develop concrete projects in energy, transport, the green economy, and digitalization. As Central Asia speaks as a single subject, its voice becomes stronger and more respected.
The Afghanistan factor: a key link for regional stability
Regional stability cannot be ensured without addressing issues related to Afghanistan. The article stresses that Afghanistan is “not on the periphery of our region, but an integral part of it.”
Peace and stability in Central Asia largely depend on Afghanistan’s recovery and development. Therefore, regional countries:
- emphasize the need to consistently integrate Afghanistan into regional and international processes,
- provide humanitarian and educational assistance,
- continue cooperation in energy and training specialists.
The Trans-Afghan Railway, connecting Central and South Asia, is expected to open new opportunities for trade, investment, and connectivity, while supporting Afghanistan’s economic revival.
Five key directions for the future
The President outlines five priority tasks that will shape Central Asia’s future in the coming decades:
- Deepening regional cooperation
- strengthening existing mechanisms,
- ensuring systematic implementation of joint decisions through effective institutions.
- Building collective security capacity
- regular interaction among Security Council Secretaries, special services, and defense and law enforcement agencies,
- joint action against wide-ranging threats based on the principle of indivisible security.
- Expanding economic and environmental cooperation
- developing intra-regional trade and simplifying border procedures,
- promoting industrial cooperation and joint projects in transport, energy, agriculture, and the digital economy,
- joint measures on climate adaptation, water resources, biodiversity, and green energy.
- Humanitarian cooperation and human capital
- strengthening education, science, culture, healthcare, tourism, and youth programs,
- forming a regional identity based on shared values and cultural closeness.
- Coordinated foreign policy approaches
- aligning regional positions amid global instability,
- further developing “Central Asia Plus” formats,
- enriching relations with leading partners through concrete projects benefiting regional development.
As President Mirziyoyev stresses, for Uzbekistan, regional cooperation is not a tactical choice, but a strategic decision based on shared responsibility for the future of Central Asia.
At the heart of the new Central Asia model lies:
- good-neighborliness,
- mutual trust,
- partnership and support,
- political will grounded in shared destiny and shared interests.
Today, the states of the region are building bridges, not walls. In a time of global uncertainty, this path — one of peace, sustainable development, and constructive cooperation — best serves the interests of millions of people.
Central Asia is becoming not only a historical-geographic concept, but a single space of peace, prosperity, and progress. And most importantly, this is a conscious, irreversible, and widely supported choice of our region’s peoples.
