Azernews.Az

By Ahmet Sağlam

The Seventh Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia, hosted by Uzbekistan, took place in Tashkent. The summit in Tashkent, hosted by Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, was attended by Kyrgyz Republic President Sadyr Japarov, Republic of Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, and Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev.

One of the summit’s most significant developments was Azerbaijan’s admission as a full member to the Central Asia Heads of State Consultative Meeting format. Concerning this decision, Uzbekistan’s President Mirziyoyev stated that “brotherly Azerbaijan will give the consultative mechanism a strong impetus, expanding cooperation in trade-economics, investment, culture, and humanitarian spheres.” He also emphasized that Azerbaijan forms a powerful bridge between Central Asia and the South Caucasus, saying that with this participation, the region’s strategic ties and stability would be further strengthened. All the heads of state present at the summit expressed their satisfaction with Azerbaijan’s accession.

Azerbaijan’s full membership is also seen as a critical step for new trade corridors between Central Asia and Europe. By joining, the Central Asian states strengthen their potential for concrete progress in cooperation areas, thanks to the faster decision-making capability provided by the consultative mechanism.

In his speech, Kazakhstan’s President Tokayev pointed to the rising international interest in the region, noting, “the era of closed borders and isolation is over.” He argued that the regional solidarity achieved through joint efforts opens a broad horizon for development and international cooperation in Central Asia. He said intra-regional trade is growing, joint initiatives are increasing, and major projects in industry, energy, mechanical engineering, and agriculture are being implemented. Tokayev added that trade barriers are being gradually removed, land and rail connections are expanding, and Central Asia has the opportunity to become a key transit center of Eurasia — but realizing that potential will require coordinated steps. He also warned that reducing bureaucracy at border crossings, introducing an electronic cargo tracking system, and establishing a common transport strategy are crucial.

Uzbek President Mirziyoyev stated that territorial issues among the Central Asian states had been resolved, border crossings were reopened, and mutually beneficial cooperation in water and energy had been established. He noted that transport links had been restored, creating a favorable environment for trade, investment, and humanitarian contacts, and emphasized that this positive atmosphere in the region needed to be institutionalized. In this context, he proposed developing a Charter of the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia, establishing a Secretariat to operate on a rotating basis, and raising the status of national coordinators to the level of Special Representatives of the Presidents.

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, in his speech, drew attention to the road and railways developed in Central Asia in recent years; he proposed the development of a joint electronic platform called the “Digital Transit Corridor,” which would enable the sharing of customs data and the regulation of permit documents through a “single-window” system to facilitate transportation.

Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, who will assume the rotating chairmanship of the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia in 2026, summarized the roadmap to be developed under Turkmenistan’s presidency by saying, “As Turkmenistan, we will make every effort, by strengthening our unity, solidarity, and economic partnership in Central Asia, to increase our region’s appeal to large foreign investments and to implement large-scale international projects in the fields of energy, transport, communication, and other sectors.”

Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, in his speech, recalled the signing of the “Agreement on Friendship, Good-Neighborliness and Cooperation” for Central Asia’s development and stressed that this document is based on the principles of equal partnership, mutual respect, and trust. Rahmon also stated that there are great opportunities to strengthen good-neighbour relations and to expand cooperation in tourism and sports, and emphasized the necessity of broadly using the region’s rich cultural and historical heritage in order to raise the region’s prestige and influence.

In summary, in their speeches, all the heads of state made joint statements that political unity, security cooperation, and economic integration must be strengthened in order to shape the future of the region. They underlined that, for the future of Central Asia, development-oriented common steps should be taken, such as expanding transport-logistics networks, liberalizing trade, and cooperating on digitization and artificial intelligence. In addition, the Central Asian leaders expressed that they are united in the goal of building a stable, interconnected, and prosperous Central Asia on the basis of peaceful diplomacy, cultural closeness, and shared heritage.

As a result, when the summit and its outcomes are evaluated, it is seen that many issues inherited by the Central Asian states after the dissolution of the USSR have now been resolved within various consultative mechanisms established or joined by the Central Asian states.

During the Soviet era, due to Russia’s position as the diplomatic center, a relationship mechanism was formed in which the Central Asian states prioritized their relations with Russia rather than with each other. As a consequence of this situation, it is observed that relations among the Central Asian states, which gained their independence after the dissolution of the USSR, remained weak. Therefore, after the dissolution of the USSR, Russia’s mediating role in the resolution of regional problems continued, and Central Asia was regarded as Russia’s backyard. As a result of this, relations among the states of the region took shape according to Russia’s interests in the region; friendships, hostilities, and economic and cultural relations in the region were shaped from Russia’s point of view.

For example, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan expressed this framework drawn by Russia in Central Asia and the South Caucasus in a speech as follows: “The deep-rooted hostility between Armenians, Turks, and Azerbaijanis was shaped by Soviet-era propaganda and the influence of the KGB. When we say, ‘How can we trust Azerbaijan?’, they say the same thing about Armenians. This is a worldview shaped by KGB agents, and we must get rid of this worldview as soon as possible," he said, drawing attention to the roots of the region’s problems.

In summary, including the Seventh Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia held on 16 November 2025, the Central Asian states have either hosted or participated in numerous international meetings within this year alone. This stands as the most concrete indicator of the increasing interest shown toward the Central Asian states. These meetings are also seen to pave the way for new economic and cultural developments in the region. However, the growing interest of China, the United States, and the European Union in the Central Asian states also brings risks. For example, major powers showing interest in the region’s underground and above-ground economic resources, especially rare earth elements, may also bring about a power struggle within the region. As a result of this situation, the Central Asian states may be pulled into becoming the center of conflicting interests among different power balances in Central Asia. The inclusion of Russia in these struggles may also bring hot conflicts to the region. Along with all this, it could also lead to the economic and cultural exploitation of the region. In this context, it is essential for the Central Asian states to keep the balance of power in the region aligned with their national and moral interests. In this regard, the proposal by Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to establish a Regional Research Center for Rare Earth Elements in Astana is significant, and in this context, it is important that the region’s rare earth elements be institutionally protected in a manner that will provide technology transfer to the Central Asian states and add economic value to the region in line with the interests of the Central Asian states.

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Ahmet Sağlam is a multilingual Turkish academic and international relations specialist whose career has spanned leadership roles in Turkic World youth diplomacy, award-winning digital publishing, and export-focused business development, culminating in his 2024 candidacy for İskilip mayor under the Nationalist Movement Party.