Central Asia is going through a significant period for development. The region shares a common history, cultural proximity and neighborhood traditions of centuries, co-existing with differences in national interests. Nowadays, it strengthens an approach based on open dialogue and joint solutions to common issues. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev is one of the leaders of this new process through prioritizing good neighborly relations and regional cooperation in foreign policy.
This approach goes beyond diplomatic protocol as Uzbekistan aims to reinforce trust between states, to create better conditions for trade, investments, transportation links, security and overall, for daily life of millions. The trust, however, necessitates political will, mutual compromise and joint work.
In post-independence era, Central Asian countries conceived their own development models and foreign policies but sensitive issues related to the region lingered, from borders to use of water resources and transportation links, challenging the relations.
Since 2016, Uzbekistan has pursued a new approach, seeking more efficient direct contacts with neighbors, reconciliation and negotations to resolve outstanding issues. High-level visits to and from regional countries, the establishment of an intergovernmental committee and expansions of human and cultural interaction have added new dynamism to relations. Overall, it brought about a new understanding that interests of regional countries are not necessarily needed to conflict with each other.
Regional cooperation
This is probably most evident in consultation meetings of Central Asian heads of state and government. This new format does not replace existing international blocs those countries are part of or limit the sovereign rights of participating states and merely allows leaders to have direct talks on regional issues. Consistency of dialogue and drafting a joint agenda are valuable assets of this new format.
Uzbekistan’s approach found response among the four states and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan each offer their own peculiar contribution to build upon the relations. Overall, regional rapprochement emerged as a shared gain where political leadership was unified in equal partnership.
Trust economy
The budding trust is only tangible when its impact was felt by citizens, by businesses, through everything from border crossings to new routes, commercial collaboration projects and more connectivity in terms of ecnomy. This rings true especially for a region far from viable maritime routes. Joint efforts also matter in the field of energy, smart use of water resources and compliance in work to combat the fallout of climate change. Mechanisms all sides agreed upon, sharing the knowledge and safeguarding the interests of relevant parties also matter.
Brotherhood beyond politics
Mirziyoyev’s good-neighbor policy, an effort to bring pragmatic state interests together with a sense of shared identity, is another instrument to advance Central Asia’s new era. The region shares cultural traditions, family ties, linguistic affinities, commercial and educational exchanges. In this context, keeping borders open and encouraging cross-border travel help reviving connections otherwise thwarted by administrative barriers. Uzbekistan underlines that brotherhood requires respect for national identity and sovereignty.
Common challenges
Though ties are being cemented, challenges persist for the region, from water scarcity and environmental risks and disparities in economic development to security concerns and fallout of instability in Afghanistan. Not all Central Asian states share the same opinion on all issues and a full regional integration still appears far away. Nevertheless, steps are here for change, at least on how to resolve disagreements. Those include negotiations, finding solutions acceptable for all the relevant parties and taking region’s long-term interests into account. Undoubtedly, it would require consistent efforts of countries, from leaders to state institutions, from business world to civic society.
Nevertheless, the way disagreements are addressed has fundamentally changed: negotiations, efforts to find mutually acceptable solutions and the region’s long-term interests are increasingly taking precedence. Sustaining this trend will require consistent efforts not only from leaders but also from state institutions, the business community and civil society.
In this context, Mirziyoyev’s role in contempary Central Asia looms large, defined by his efforts to put trust and good neighborly relations at the heart of his country’s foreign policy. It seems to be paying off as witnessed in new momentum in the regional dialogue and new opportunities for shared development.
The climate of trust requires more than one leader and more than one country and mutual respect among countries, such as compliance with past agreements and taking others’ interests into consideration as well. This new era in Central Asia, thus, has the makings of a lasting historical achievement but it will probably be achieved through political will and only through providing benefit for all the peoples of the region.