Central Asian leaders meet in Astana to boost regional cooperation

On Friday, the sixth consultative meeting of the presidents of the Central Asian states took place in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. The topics discussed included the region's growing importance on the international stage. Many experts believe that Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is effectively positioning his country as the leader of this region.

The meeting was attended by the presidents of all five post-Soviet states in the region: Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan, and Serdar Berdimuhamedow of Turkmenistan. According to the press service of the President of Kazakhstan, the host of the event emphasized that the consultations had elevated regional cooperation to an unprecedented level, making it more systematic, comprehensive, and trust-based.

"Thanks to joint efforts, we are finding solutions to age-old problems. Comprehensive measures are being taken to ensure stability and security in the region. Border, water, and migration issues are being systematically resolved, and many barriers to mutual trade have been removed. Border control points are being modernized, transport connections are expanding, and new routes are being opened. Trade, economic, and investment cooperation is developing dynamically," said Tokayev.

"It can be confidently said that over the years, consultative meetings have become an effective platform that demonstrates the international subjectivity and unity of the region, as well as our readiness to jointly respond to contemporary challenges. Central Asia has always been the centre of unique civilizations, and it plays an important role in global progress. Today, based on this historical community and the mental closeness of our nations, we are jointly shaping a new image of Central Asia as a region of great opportunities," he added.

Many experts believe that the leader of the 20-million-population Kazakhstan is effectively positioning his country as the economic and political leader of the region. The day before, he hosted the President of Uzbekistan, whom he honoured with the highest state decoration, the Order of the Golden Eagle. The two countries signed several trade agreements worth $7 billion CAD and entered into many agreements, including opening branches of parent universities in the neighbouring country.

In July, Astana hosted the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, where, besides the heads of state of this community, the Secretary-General of the UN was also present. On Friday, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was also supposed to visit. Still, he cancelled his last minute, citing the need to stay in his country due to a predicted "mega-earthquake" by seismologists.

On Thursday, the newspaper "Kazakhstan Pravda" published an extensive article by Tokayev titled "The Renaissance of Central Asia: A Path to Sustainable Development and Prosperity," in which he outlines his vision for the region's development in the coming years. According to the president, the role of the Central Asian states in world politics will increase, and the reason for this is the instability in many parts of the world.

"The vector of Central Asia's development is the attachment to traditional values combined with the desire for modernization and advanced knowledge. This makes our region a self-sufficient and influential participant in the renewing international system. Today, we strive to strengthen our role as the Eurasian epicentre of international geopolitical and geo-economic transformation," reads one of the theses of the article.

In his article, Tokayev also emphasized that the most important task is to maintain peace not only in the region but also worldwide and adhere to international law norms and the inviolability of borders. He also referred to the economic and logistical potential of the region's states, especially highlighting the importance of the International Trans-Caspian Transport Route (Middle Corridor), whose role is systematically increasing.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who took office in 2019, is the second President of independent Kazakhstan. He succeeded Nursultan Nazarbayev. Before that, he was a diplomat, Chairman of the Senate, and Prime Minister.