President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended the fifth Central Asia Summit in Dushanbe. The summit, chaired by the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, was also attended by the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, as well as the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev as an honorary guest and the special representative of the UN Secretary-General – Head of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, Kakha Imnadze.

In accordance with the agenda, the parties discussed the ways to further expand multifaceted cooperation in the region, including the development of political dialogue, promotion of joint programs and projects in the trade, investment, transport, energy, agriculture and ecology, intensification of cultural and humanitarian exchange, as well as responding to modern challenges and security threats.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev in his remarks highly praised the common efforts to strengthen relations of trust, good neighborliness and partnership between the countries of the region.

Thanks to our joint efforts, we have made serious progress in resolving vital issues and filled our cooperation with qualitatively new content. Political contacts and interparliamentary exchanges have become regular. Various platforms for dialogue and cooperation have been launched, the head of state noted.

The main result highlighted is that stability and unity are strengthening in Central Asia. Our region is becoming one of the important centers of economic growth and investment activity, once again regaining its historical role as a transport hub connecting West with East and North with South, he added.

Taking into account an in-depth analysis of the impact of global processes on the sustainable development of the region, it was noted that the ability to effectively counter these threats directly depends on the consolidation of joint efforts aimed at deepening a multifaceted partnership.

In this regard, the Uzbek leader put forward a number of proposals on the prospects for further interaction between the states of Central Asia.

"Trade and economic cooperation is the main driver of regional partnership and integration. In Uzbekistan, we are creating all the necessary conditions for the development of practical interaction in this direction with all countries of the region”.

"In order to increase the volume of trade turnover, a full-fledged free trade zone without exceptions and restrictions shall be set up as soon as possible".

"In this regard, it is necessary to adopt a comprehensive regional Program that provides for the formation of sustainable trade and logistics chains in the region, the opening and expansion of cross-border trade and cooperation centers, the harmonization of legislation and the elimination of barriers to mutual trade, the creation of unified electronic platforms for customs administration, sanitary and phytosanitary control, and certification. origin of goods, as well as the launch of a regional e-commerce platform."

"In terms of industrial cooperation between the countries of the region, there are examples of successful partnerships in the production of passenger cars, household appliances, textiles and food products, border zones of cooperation with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, as well as Azerbaijan."

"Production of mineral fertilizers, polymers, finished metal products; assembly of agricultural machinery; production of finished textile and food products for export to third countries promising areas for further deepening cooperation and implementing large industrial projects."

"To make joint efforts systemic, I propose to develop a long-term Strategy for the Development of Industrial Cooperation of the Countries of Central Asia."

Particular attention is paid to issues of transport connectivity. He noted that, taking into account the geographical distance from the main foreign markets, the share of costs for transporting goods in our countries reaches 50 percent of the final cost of goods. At the same time, the world average does not exceed 11 percent. As a result, our economies are forced to bear a transport burden two to three times greater than in developed countries.

In order to further increase the transport potential of our countries, it was proposed, within the framework of meetings of sectoral ministers, to develop an Agreement on Transport and Transit in Central Asia, to formulate specific mechanisms for promoting effective transport corridors to enter the markets of China, the countries of South Asia and the Middle East, the European Union using through tariffs, beneficial for business.

The President of Uzbekistan proposed to develop long-term Development Plans for the Amu Darya and Syr Darya basins with the participation of international consultants.

“It is important to provide modeling of various scenarios for the development of the situation in the basins of these rivers. We are confident that the adoption of such strategic documents will contribute to a coordinated policy of integrated management of water and energy resources in our region,” he emphasized.

Special attention should be paid to “organizing work with youth at the regional level in matters of creating a culture of respect for water and other natural resources, supporting youth initiatives and start-ups through the adoption of a special program,” the head of Uzbekistan suggested.

He expressed hope for close involvement in the consideration of these issues by the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia.

The president said that as part of the Development Strategy of New Uzbekistan, it is planned to develop a National Water Conservation Program.

“We could strengthen our cooperation in the field of water conservation, identifying it as one of the priorities of the fund,” he said.

He also proposed to establish a regional platform for regular meetings of the ministers of water resources, energy, ecology and economy.

Speaking about the Kushtepa canal, which Afghanistan is building from the Amu Darya River, Shavkat Mirziyoyev said: “In fact, a new participant in the water use process has appeared in our region, which is not associated with any obligations with our countries.”

The commissioning of the canal “can radically change the water regime and balance in Central Asia,” he noted and called for the formation of a joint working group to study all aspects of the canal’s construction and its impact on the water regime of the Amu Darya.

He also proposed considering the issue of involving representatives of Afghanistan in a regional dialogue on the sharing of water resources.