Central Asian Heads of State Summit
The summit, hosted by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, was attended by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Tajik President Emomali Rahman. The summit was held at the Presidential Palace Akorda in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. First, a small-scale meeting was held between the leaders of five Central Asian countries. Then, an extended meeting was held, with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev as the guest of honour.
In his opening speech, President Tokayev noted that the consultation meetings between Central Asian leaders made significant contributions to strengthening regional cooperation. “Thanks to our joint efforts, fundamental long-term problems are being resolved. In addition, comprehensive measures are being taken to ensure regional stability and security. Border, water supply and migration issues are being systematically addressed, and many obstacles to mutual trade are being eliminated,” Tokayev said.
Tokayev stated that the foundations of the international relations system are eroding dangerously today and added, “Preserving peace and stability in our region will continue to be our most important task.” Stressing that the development of Central Asia’s transit and transportation potential is of great importance, Tokayev stated that projects such as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor, the North-South Corridor and the Belt and Road Initiative, which include countries in the region, play a critical role.
Tokayev also said that Kazakhstan’s five-way cooperation in the field of education, culture and human capital development should be continuously developed. “About 9 thousand students from the countries of the region study in Kazakhstan. We highly appreciate the desire of young people from Central Asia to receive higher education in our country,” he said.
Tokayev also touched on the need to intensify interaction in the information sphere, and suggested that work be initiated on creating joint media products. He also noted the importance of cooperation in the field of environment and combating climate change. “We face similar challenges in this area, so it is especially important to expand interaction and increase coordination on the climate agenda. On this occasion, I wish the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev success in organizing the COP29 global climate conference this fall,” Tokayev said.
Central Asia-2040 Concept Signed
As a result of the 6th Consultative Meeting of the Central Asian Heads of State, the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan signed the “Central Asia-2040 Concept” document aimed at developing regional cooperation. In addition, a roadmap for the development of regional cooperation covering the period 2025-2027 and an action plan for the development of industrial cooperation among the Central Asian states were approved.
In accordance with the decisions of the leaders, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was awarded the “Order of Honor of the Central Asian Presidents”.
