It completed the full cycle of Central Asian summits that began in 2018 at the initiative of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and endorsed by the leaders of all countries in the area.
At the Dushanbe summit the leaders of Central Asian states evaluated the outcomes of past consultative meetings and emphasised their commitment to continuing collaborative efforts toward the gradual building of a sustainable regional co-operation architecture.
The main conclusion of the five-sided meeting is that the process of regional rapprochement has reached a qualitatively new phase of integrational development, as evidenced by the greater willingness of the region's states to formalise and institutionalise multidimensional interaction, making it systematic and continuous.
The leaders of Central Asian states stated that it is in their best interests to continue to strengthen interstate co-operation, neighbourliness, and mutual trust.
The decision to form a council of national co-ordinators for the consultative meeting of the heads of Central Asian states, aimed at increasing the effectiveness of interstate co-operation, is evidence of this.
There's a reason for it.
Regional countries were able to “make serious progress in resolving vital issues and to fill co-operation among Central Asian states with a qualitatively new content” thanks to shared political will and concerted efforts, as the Uzbek president underlined.
Many barriers that were sources of interstate tension have been dismantled in recent years.
Primarily, neighbouring countries were able to address critical border issues, allowing transportation communications to resume.
The discourse on mutually beneficial use of water and energy resources, as well as guaranteeing water, energy, and food security, is currently underway.
Co-operation links among Central Asian states are strengthening in a variety of fields.
They formed joint investment entities, work is underway to build cross-border industrial and trade zones, and interstate projects in the industrial, agriculture, automotive, and energy sectors are being launched.
A visa-free regime has been implemented, as well as circumstances for free movement of citizens and active cultural and tourism interactions.
Since 2016, Uzbekistan has increased the number of checkpoints with Central Asian countries to 78, tripled the number of bus services, and more than doubled the number of air flights.
Today, the boundaries between Uzbekistan and Central Asian countries can legitimately be referred to as bridges of peace and goodwill.
For example, the Uzbek-Kyrgyz border can now be crossed with the display of an internal document – a general civil ID card – starting September 1 of this year.
Work on trade and economic, transport and energy co-operation has reached a new stage.
Thus, in 2020-2021 Uzbekistan created joint investment funds and companies with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and in 2022 and 2023 began construction of cross-border industrial-trade and industrial zones with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
Projects are underway with Kyrgyzstan to build the China-Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan railroad and the Kambarata hydroelectric power plant, with Tajikistan – the Yavan hydroelectric power plant on the Zarafshan River, and with Kazakhstan – a multimodal transport and logistics center in Tashkent.
These are just some examples, of which there are many in other Central Asian states.
Of course, there are still concerns to be addressed.
The most important thing, though, is to sustain dialogue and a solid course toward mutually accepted concessions.
Today, it is critical to overcome narrow national egoisms, see the inextricable relationship between the region's sustainable future and its own development possibilities, and reach mutually beneficial solutions that fulfil the interests of all parties.
“It is necessary to find common approaches and join efforts to find mutually acceptable solutions,” the Kyrgyz president has stated. “There are no intractable problems, all we need is political will.”
* Central Asia – a space of good-neighbourliness and new opportunities
Today, Central Asia is emerging as a key hub for interregional connectivity as well as global industrial and logistical chains.
According to Uzbek President Mirziyoyev, “stability and unity are strengthening in Central Asia, it is turning into one of the important centres of economic growth and investment activity, and it is once again regaining its historical role as a transport hub connecting the West with the East and the North with the South”.
The leaders of other Central Asian countries agree with this assessment.
Thus, Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon stated that “Central Asia is consistently and confidently transforming into an area of mutually beneficial co-operation, into a stable, economically developed, and, in the foreseeable future, very prosperous region, into one of the most important centres of the modern world and unique geographical nodes”.
In turn, the leader of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev notes that regional co-operation not only brings tangible mutual benefits, but also alters the entire structure of the Central Asian economy by opening up new opportunities for trade, investment, business, science, and innovation.
The development indicators for the entire region, which display a pattern of consistent growth, serve as proof of regional co-operation.
Particularly between 2016 and 2022, the Central Asian region's international trade turnover increased to reach $225bn.
Simultaneously, commerce among the region's states increased 2.5-fold, from $5.5bn to $13.5bn, and is expanding in both structure and nomenclature of commodities, which has a substantial stabilising effect on prices in the local markets of Central Asian republics.
Stability and the emergence of a robust market in Central Asia are increasing interest in the region.
In particular, over the same period, the share of investment in Central Asia of the global total has increased from 1.6% to 2.8%, rising to $40bn in 2022, and overall by 45% since 2016 of the total accumulated investment of $250bn.
Moreover, mutual investment increased six times, almost doubled intra-regional tourism.
Interest in the region has increased as a result of stability and the development of a thriving market in Central Asia.
In example, over the same time period, Central Asia's portion of global investment climbed from 1.6% to 2.8%, reaching $40bn in 2022 and growing overall by 45% since 2016 of the total accumulated investment of $250bn.
Additionally, mutual investment surged six times, and intraregional tourism nearly doubled.
As a result, the region's total gross output is expanding gradually.
At the end of 2022, it increased by 6% and reached around $400bn, which is 40% higher than in 2016 and double the dynamics of the global economy.
At the same time, growth projections for the coming year range from 5-6 %.
* Consolidation is an effective response to the challenges of our time
In general, today's Central Asian states, despite numerous challenges and threats exacerbated by the rise of geopolitical rivalries and contradictions, as well as crisis phenomena in the global economy, manage to maintain an atmosphere of friendship and mutually beneficial co-operation in Central Asia, build relationships with external actors while keeping regional stability in mind, and ensure security and sustainable development in the interests of the people of our common Central Asia nest.
As Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov put it succinctly, “joint work, constant dialogue, and communication on the basis of mutual respect and consideration of each other's interests in the spirit of good neighbourliness allow us to overcome all obstacles and difficulties, develop, and maintain the sense of commonality and unity of the peoples who have inhabited our vast and rich region since time immemorial”.
Summarising the outcomes of the first cycle of consultative meetings, we can state with confidence that the previous stage of Central Asian co-operation has become a breakthrough in the overall process of regional construction, enabled the establishment of ongoing intra-regional dialogue, developed a sense of commonality of interests, significantly strengthened mutual trust, and created solid ground for the transition of regional co-operation to a qualitatively new stage of development.
And as the summit in Dushanbe's outcomes have demonstrated, the leaders of the Central Asian states have shown that they are committed to moving forward with closer co-operation, have articulated their vision and particular priorities for regional co-operation, and are prepared to turn challenges into opportunities, create a new sustainable model of regional interaction that will ensure the continued development of the Central Asian states.
* Central Asia is a consolidated actor, devoted to collaborate
The Consultative Meeting confirmed the desire of the leaders of the Central Asian states to continue bolstering political consolidation and shared solidarity, to take on the duty of addressing issues on the regional agenda jointly and on their own, to show unity in overcoming threats to regional stability and security, and to adopt a co-ordinated and unified stance in their dealings with actors outside the region.
President Mirziyoyev remarked that Central Asia is now universally acknowledged as a single entity with international subjectivity.
This, he said, "is demonstrated by the approval of eight UN resolutions since 2017 on significant Central Asian cooperation and development issues, as well as the formation of more than 10 ‘Central Asia Plus’ formats”.
In this respect, the president called for the development of “common approaches to joint work within these formats at the level of foreign ministers”.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also underlined the importance of “common or maximally similar positions demonstrating the solidarity and unity of the states of the region”.
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon emphasised the significance of the “unity of Central Asia" and urged the need to take more active steps towards integration within the region, including developing and making specific proposals for the joint development of Central Asia available to partners, including within the framework of the "Central Asia Plus" format.
Undoubtedly, the strengthening of political consolidation, co-ordination, and coherence of activities would allow Central Asian states to "protect and promote the region's common interests in the world" even more effectively, noted Kyrgyz President Japarov.
At the same time, it is crucial to emphasise that the Central Asian states demonstrate the region's openness to co-operation with extra-regional countries, international and regional organisations, and their willingness to rely on international law norms and principles and to firmly integrate the region into the international community as a responsible subject of international relations.
The world community supports this.
This is demonstrated by the invitation to the summit of Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, head of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia K Imnadze and the address to the participants of the meeting by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
* Compounding of advantages and formation of a new mode of economic development
Economic growth and raising the standard of living for residents of the region have been recognised as the two main imperatives for co-operation among the Central Asian republics.
President Mirziyoyev said that "trade and economic co-operation is the main driver of regional partnership and integration", and the president of Tajikistan has called for a "strategic breakthrough in the economic direction" involving the full potential of the region's states, and the president of Kazakhstan has proposed transforming Central Asia into a "space of new economic opportunities”.
Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Kyrgyz President Zhaparov also stressed the importance of expanding trade and economic links, boosting bilateral trade turnover, and harnessing huge untapped potential.
Along with the promoting of intraregional trade, the presidents of Central Asian countries gave special attention to the expansion of regional industrial co-operation.
President Mirziyoyev, in particular, proposed developing and adopting a Strategy for the Development of Industrial Co-operation, while the president of Kazakhstan initiated an Action Plan for the Development of Industrial Co-operation, and Tajik President Rahmon put forward developing separate programs of co-operation in the fields of agriculture, industry, and active introduction of new technologies.
The energy sector was another area where similar approaches were proposed.
Thus, the president of Uzbekistan emphasised the need of guaranteeing energy security, which might pose a barrier to Central Asian nations' long-term sustainable growth.
In this respect, he underlined the need of collaboration in the development of energy infrastructure, energy source diversification, attracting investments and technology in the field of alternative energy, and the generation of "green" hydrogen.
Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have stated their willingness to collaborate with Central Asian nations in the creation of "green energy" based on their hydropower resources.
In exchange, the leader of Turkmenistan indicated his country's determination to assist in meeting regional demand for energy resources, as well as to deliver natural gas and electricity to Central Asian countries and through their territory to overseas markets on mutually advantageous conditions.
Turkmen President Berdimuhammedov suggested the creation of a new type of five-sided contact – the Energy Dialogue of Central Asian Countries – to make co-operation in this area more systematic and effective.
Traditionally, the leaders of Central Asian republics have focused their attention on expanding our countries transport and logistics capabilities and diversifying transportation corridors.
At the same time, participants in the meeting approved the Five-Party Agreement on Strengthening Interconnectivity of Land Transport in Central Asia.
However, the heads of state did not limit themselves and proposed put forward a number of concrete initiatives.
Thus, President Mirziyoyev proposed developing an Agreement on Transport and Transit in Central Asia, forming specific mechanisms to promote efficient transport corridors to access the markets of China, South Asia, and the Middle East, the European Union with the application of business-friendly tariffs.
He also suggested preparing a programme of measures to liberalise the market of transport services, optimising permitting procedures, and considering the creation of new integrated digital platform of international transport.
In line with Uzbekistan's idea, Turkmen President Berdimuhamedov proposed considering the possibilities of establishing a Central Asian transport and logistics platform.
Without a doubt, all of these initiatives are crucially important for the states long-term development and attest to a shared desire to create a new way of economic development in the region based on the competitive advantages and complementarity of Central Asian economies, to form a capacious market in the region and integrate it into global value chains, and to transform Central Asia into an important link of interregional connectivity.
* Decisive steps towards overcoming climate challenges
The effects of climate change on the environment, water consumption, and food security were also cited as challenges and risks that are relevant to the Central Asian republics.
There was unanimity among summit participants about the necessity for co-operation in this area as they all expressed worry over the effects of climate change and presented ideas that were comparable to one another.
Kyrgyzstan in particular has initiated a significant endeavour to set up a regional centre for the introduction of resource- and energy-saving technology.
It is consistent with the Turkmen side's suggestion to create a regional centre on climate change technologies.
President Mirziyoyev suggested the establishment of a multilateral forum called "Central Asian Dialogue" at the level of ecology ministers, as well as drafting a Regional Strategy on Climate Change Adaptation.
Furthermore, he announced the first Samarkand international forum dedicated to the climate topic in 2023, as well as initiated the joint submission of a UN General Assembly resolution titled *Central Asia in front of global climate challenges: consolidation for a common future.
* Strong commitment to the formation of collective security mechanisms
The leaders of Central Asian countries, when putting forward specific security proposals, demonstrated the region's high degree of mutual confidence, the establishment of collective security mechanisms, and the readiness to share responsibility for Central Asia's stability.
Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, for example, suggested launching a Dialogue on Security and Co-operation, which Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan welcomed.
President Mirziyoyev proposed a robust foundation for co-operation in border protection and protecting the territorial integrity of Central Asian republics, as well as co-operative counteraction to mutual security problems and threats.
Initiatives were put up, in particular, to construct an interstate border security and strengthening programme, as well as to establish a regional system of forecasting, preventive, early warning, and co-operative reaction to emergencies.
Taking into account all Central Asian countries' interest in normalising the situation in Afghanistan and preventing challenges and threats emanating from its territory, it was proposed to establish a Contact Group at the level of special representatives on Afghanistan to establish a co-ordinated dialogue with the Afghan side on border security, water use, and trade development.
*Sustainable efforts to build a common regional identity
The desire to forge a shared regional identity – a crucial need for developing shared responsibility and solidarity in boosting Central Asia's well-being and prosperity – was another example of the commonality of viewpoints.
The region's leaders recommended a variety of measures aimed at preserving Central Asia as a distinct cultural and civilisational zone, as well as expanding cultural and humanitarian linkages to improve and deepen regional collaboration.
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In this regard, the Uzbek side initiated the adoption of an action plan to deepen cultural and humanitarian interaction between Central Asian countries, as well as the establishment of an international media platform "History and Culture of Central Asia: One Past and Common Future", which could be promoted on the basis of the Association of Central Asian States Mass Media, the establishment of which was proposed by Tajik President Rahmon.
Furthermore, to foster the concept of a shared regional identity among young people, President Mirziyoyev proposed establishing regional scientific and educational grants and scholarships in honour of Al-Khwarizmi, Farabi, Jami, Magtymguly, and Chingiz Aitmatov.
In general, the leaders of Central Asian governments are determined to make youth the primary beneficiary and driving force behind the development of a long-term plan of regional integration, the framework and supporting structure of a shared Central Asian nest.
Undoubtedly, all of the above and many other specific initiatives form a solid basis for moving forward, building effective mechanisms of interaction, and forming a solid Central Asian architecture of co-operation.
It is becoming clear that our nations have already recognised the basic areas of collaborative development.
At the same time, we have not only developed a common agenda for strengthening and extending collaboration, but we have also begun to implement practical measures and initiatives.
* Akramjon Nematov is the first deputy director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan