Central Asian Experts Prioritize Regional Cooperation
Astana recently hosted the seventh Central Asian Expert Forum, themed the Gravity of Trust, on June 14th. This gathering saw the participation of experts from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, all coming together to focus on setting mutual development priorities, enhancing regional cooperation channels, and strengthening Central Asia’s transit and transport potential.
Organized by the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS), the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, the forum served as a precursor to the upcoming sixth Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia, scheduled for August 9th in Astana. Experts at the forum put forth practical recommendations for this forthcoming meeting.
One key aspect of the forum was a focus on strengthening regional ties. Javlon Vakhabov, managing director of the International Institute for Central Asia, highlighted the unique opportunity for discussions on regionalization, especially with Kazakhstan leading several international and regional organizations this year. Emphasizing mutual trade expansion, investment cooperation, transport communications, and humanitarian exchanges as key priorities, Vakhabov pointed out that the event also saw the signing of a cooperation program action plan for 2024-2025 between KazISS and the International Institute for Central Asia.
Speakers at the forum emphasized the need to address common regional issues such as water, energy, transport, and relations with Afghanistan. Yerkin Tukumov, Director of KazISS, stressed the importance of interregional cooperation and burgeoning regional trade and friendship, citing a notable 2.5 times increase in intra-bilateral trade over the past decade. Additionally, discussions were held on engaging with Afghanistan to find collaborative solutions for shared issues like the Qosh Tepa Canal and the Central Asian transport corridor.
Practical recommendations and future directions were also a key focus of the forum. Tukumov proposed the creation of a secretariat to initiate discussions on industrialization and suggested the establishment of an analytical center with CIS participation to craft expert solutions and formulate a Central Asian strategy for Afghanistan. The need for sociological research to understand the perspectives of Central Asian youth on further integration and cooperation was also highlighted.
In the global context, Alexander Wolters, country director of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), underscored the significance of regional integration, noting the desire of Central Asian countries to revitalize relations and practical cooperation across various fields. The plenary session featured extensive reports on the first five years of the Consultative Meeting of Central Asian Heads of State and discussed priorities for the new phase of regional cooperation, including institutionalizing cooperation, expanding channels, strengthening transit and transport potential, and developing regional food clusters.
Overall, the forum served as a platform for experts to exchange ideas, propose practical solutions, and set the stage for enhanced regional cooperation and development in Central Asia.
