Photo: Press service of the President of Uzbekistan
“Russia was, is, and always will be a key, priority strategic partner and ally for Uzbekistan,” President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said on October 9 at the summit of heads of state in the Central Asia–Russia format.
Mirziyoyev emphasized that the solid foundation of cooperation rests on shared history, centuries-old ties, and the cultural and mental closeness of the peoples of the two countries. He noted that rising geopolitical tensions and crises in the global economy call for closer coordination to ensure regional stability.
The president proposed holding annual high-level meetings and maintaining regular contacts between governments, ministries, and regions. He supported adopting a Joint Action Plan through 2027, but suggested tasking governments with preparing a more detailed roadmap and establishing a Coordinating Council at the level of deputy prime ministers to oversee implementation.
Addressing regional security, Mirziyoyev called for strengthening cooperation among intelligence services in combating terrorism, extremism, organized crime, and drug trafficking, as well as jointly countering cyberthreats. He also proposed considering high-level consultations on Afghanistan to coordinate security and economic initiatives.
A key area of joint work, Mirziyoyev said, is radically expanding economic partnership. He noted that despite unfavorable conditions, trade turnover between Uzbekistan, Russia, and other regional countries grew by 15 percent over the past and current years. To build on this momentum, he proposed developing comprehensive measures to increase trade volumes, including easing mutual market access and launching the Agroexpress Central Asia–Russia project.
Special attention was given to the region’s transport and transit potential, particularly the North–South corridor. Mirziyoyev advocated aligning national programs in road, rail, and air transport to form an integrated regional infrastructure network.
In the sphere of industrial cooperation, Mirziyoyev cited major gas-chemical projects and the creation of a copper-processing hub as examples. He proposed establishing in Bukhara a Central Asia–Russia Industrial Engineering Hub to develop and implement advanced engineering solutions and granting the Innoprom. Central Asia exhibition-forum in Tashkent the status of the main industrial platform of the format. According to him, the most recent exhibition brought together over 10,000 participants from 35 countries and resulted in $5 billion worth of agreements.
Calling energy cooperation a stabilizing factor for the region, Mirziyoyev announced the upcoming start of joint projects to build the first reactor unit of Uzbekistan’s future nuclear power plant and a multifunctional Center for Nuclear Medicine.
He also proposed:
▪ establishing a Regional Center of Competence for Nuclear Energy;
▪ adopting a training program at the Tashkent branch of MEPhI (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute);
▪ developing a comprehensive Energy Partnership Program for Central Asia and Russia;
▪ opening Skolkovo innovation center branches in the region;
▪ creating a Regional Expert Council on Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies;
▪ launching a scientific and educational consortium “Engineers of the Future”, building on 15 existing Russian university branches in Uzbekistan, and establishing a grant program for young scientists;
▪ holding an annual festival of culture, art, and creativity of the peoples of Central Asia and Russia.
The second “Central Asia–Russia” summit took place on October 9 in Dushanbe under the chairmanship of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon. Alongside Rahmon and Mirziyoyev, it was attended by Presidents Vladimir Putin (Russia), Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (Kazakhstan), Sadyr Japarov (Kyrgyzstan), and Serdar Berdymukhamedov (Turkmenistan).
