Uzbekistan – Kazakhstan: together for the prosperity of Central Asia

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On August 7-9, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev will pay a state visit to Kazakhstan, and will also take part in the sixth Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of our region and the summit in the “Central Asia + Japan” format, which will be held in Astana.

This visit will be another important step towards strengthening allied relations, friendship and good neighborliness between the two countries.

In recent years, cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan has reached an unprecedented level, demonstrating an exemplary example of a constructive and mutually beneficial partnership on a bilateral and multilateral basis.

The leaders of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are committed to consolidating the region and coordinating efforts within the framework of Consultative Meetings and the “Central Asia Plus” platforms, which are becoming increasingly popular mechanisms for international cooperation. They support each other in matters of global and regional politics.

Fruitful interaction occurs between the countries within the framework of international and regional organizations, including the UN, SCO, CIS, Economic Cooperation Organization, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Organization of Turkic States, International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, and other associations.

Interparliamentary relations and interdepartmental cooperation are also characterized by active dialogue and regular exchanges of visits, and they are continuously enriched with new content. The legal framework for bilateral cooperation has been strengthened.

Since 1997, a Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Bilateral Cooperation has been operating between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. In 2018, a new mechanism for bilateral interaction, the Forum of Regional Cooperation, was launched.

Kazakhstan continues to be one of the largest foreign trade partners of Uzbekistan, accounting for 9.3% of the country’s total foreign trade. The volume of mutual trade is steadily growing, reaching 4.4 billion US dollars in 2023. The number of Kazakh enterprises in Uzbekistan has also increased, now exceeding 1,100. In turn, there are more than 1,400 enterprises with Uzbek capital operating in Kazakhstan.

In the field of transport communications, the integration of roads and railways between our countries continues, and this vital network also serves as a transit route for third countries. In 2023, the volume of international transport was 23.46 million tons by rail, 2.1 million tons by road, and 90 thousand tons by air.

Cooperation is expanding in investment, industry, agriculture, energy, pharmaceuticals, construction, and other areas. To further these efforts, the construction project of the International Center for Industrial Cooperation is being actively pursued.

Developing cooperation in all areas, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, as good neighbors, make a significant contribution to ensuring peace and prosperity throughout the Central Asian region.

A strong foundation for friendship between the peoples of the two countries lies in their historical, spiritual, and cultural closeness, which contributes to the fruitful development of cultural and humanitarian cooperation at the present stage.

All conditions have been created in Uzbekistan for representatives of the Kazakh nationality to preserve their native language. Faculties of teaching in the Kazakh language and departments of Kazakh language and literature have been established at Tashkent State Pedagogical University named after Nizomiy, Karakalpak State University, Gulistan State University, and the pedagogical institutes in Nukus, Jizzakh, and Navoiy.

Based on the intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of higher and postgraduate education concluded on December 22, 2022, as well as more than 280 cooperation documents signed between universities of the two countries, academic exchange is actively developing. Joint educational programs and research projects are being implemented, and scientific and practical conferences and seminars are being held. Every year, exhibitions and fairs of Kazakhstani universities — Days of Kazakhstani Education — are organized in various cities across Uzbekistan.

Mutual cultural and educational events are regularly held, including Days of Culture, Cinema, and sports competitions. Creative teams from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan participate in international competitions, festivals, fairs, and exhibitions held in both countries.

In 2022, events dedicated to the life and work of the great Kazakh poet and thinker Abay Kunanbayev were held throughout Uzbekistan. During a high-level state visit to Uzbekistan in December 2022, the heads of the two countries jointly reviewed an exhibition dedicated to the legacy of the great Kazakh poet and thinker.

Currently, active work is underway to create a unified tourism brand and launch tourism clusters. Given the geographical proximity of the two countries, as well as their vast historical and cultural heritage and tourism opportunities, experts believe this approach will help increase the flow of tourists to Central Asia and, as a result, popularize its culture.

As noted above, during the state visit, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will also participate in the next Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia.

It is important to note that this regional cooperation mechanism was established on the initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Within the framework of these forums, the heads of the Central Asian states have proposed important initiatives for the further development of regional trade, transport and transit potential, industrial cooperation, water and energy management, adaptation to climate change, as well as strengthening security, cultural and humanitarian cooperation, and other areas.

Since the inception of this platform, five fruitful summits have been held, adding new dynamics to the development of multilateral cooperation in the region.

Today, the world recognizes that a favorable political atmosphere has been established in the region, and Central Asia is becoming a prosperous, stable, and attractive area for investment and cooperation.

In 2022, during the fourth summit in Kyrgyzstan, the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborliness, and Cooperation for the Development of Central Asia in the 21st Century was signed for the first time in the history of the region.

A favorable environment has contributed to the growth of mutual trade and investment. Between 2016 and 2023, Uzbekistan’s trade turnover with Central Asian countries increased nearly threefold — from $2.5 billion to $7.2 billion.

Overall, there are now broad opportunities for deepening and expanding regional cooperation, elevating it to a qualitatively new level. A new chapter in the centuries-old history of friendship, good neighborliness, mutual support, and cooperation has truly begun for the Central Asian states.

In this context, the upcoming bilateral and regional summits in Astana are expected to reaffirm the parties' commitment to strengthening fruitful and mutually beneficial cooperation, enhancing the international image of the Central Asian region, and determining priority areas for future interaction.

 

Dunyo IA