Dear Sergey Vadimovich,
Dear Alexey Vladimirovich,
Dear Ambassadors, colleagues, and participants of the event,

First of all, I am pleased to welcome all the participants of the Central Asia–Russia Think Tank Forum in Tashkent.

It is of particular significance that such a broad range of participants has responded to the invitation and demonstrated strong interest in discussing prospects for strengthening cooperation between Russia and the countries of Central Asia.

I would like to especially emphasize that the Forum is organized by the International Institute for Central Asia jointly with the A.M. Gorchakov public diplomacy support fund, with which we have been developing close cooperation since 2021. Today, we are signing an updated agreement that will lay the foundation for launching new joint initiatives and expanding formats of interaction.

At the same time, I would like to note that the current Forum is not the first step in developing expert interaction between Central Asia and Russia. Our cooperation with Russian analytical and research centers has already taken on a regular and intensive form.

This year alone, a delegation of the IICA visited Moscow twice, where agreements were signed with IMEMO, the Institute of China and Contemporary Asia Studies, the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as well as an action plan with the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies. At the end of May, we hosted a delegation from the Higher School of Economics in Tashkent, held a joint roundtable, and organized an open lecture by T. Bordachev. Just a couple of weeks ago, a delegation of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies, headed by M. Fradkov, former Prime Minister of Russia, visited Uzbekistan. In November, we plan to hold an off-site session of the Primakov Readings in Tashkent. All of this demonstrates the growing interest of the expert communities of our countries in developing joint approaches and practical solutions.

I am confident that similar contacts are also actively developing between other analytical centers of our countries, forming a broader expert network of cooperation.

Dear colleagues,

Russia is a key strategic partner for Central Asia. Our countries are bound with a rich history, strong humanitarian and cultural ties, as well as comprehensive cooperation covering all areas of interaction. Allied and strategic relations with Russia have long been a solid foundation for the sustainable development and interaction of our states. At the same time, each country of the region is developing its own dynamic bilateral agenda with Russia, which effectively complements the overall Central Asian cooperation agenda.

In economic terms, Russia holds the position of a leading trading partner for the countries of Central Asia. Total trade turnover in 2024 exceeded $45 billion, clearly reflecting the depth of our economic ties. Major joint projects span industry, energy, transport, and the agricultural sector.

The energy sector is one of the key areas of cooperation between Central Asian countries and Russia. A central place is occupied by projects to build nuclear power plants with the participation of Rosatom. Their implementation will constitute a strategic contribution to strengthening long-term energy security and sustainable development in Central Asia.

Equally important is the development of international transport corridors. Particular attention is focused on the North–South project, as well as the expansion of routes connecting our countries with South Asia. This process directly serves the interests of sustainable growth and enhanced connectivity of our countries.

Labor migration remains one of the key issues of bilateral and regional cooperation. As of September 2024, around 4 million citizens of Central Asian states were residing in Russia. Their contribution to Russia’s economy and social development is significant, and it is important for our countries to improve joint mechanisms for regulating migration processes while ensuring the rights and interests of workers.

Humanitarian and educational cooperation occupies a special place in our relations. Russia remains one of the main destinations for education for young people from Central Asian countries. Thousands of students choose Russian universities every year, branches of leading Russian universities are actively operating in the region, and Russia already holds leading positions in this area. In Uzbekistan alone, there are already 14 branches, and the opening of a branch of Bauman Moscow State Technical University is expected in the near future. These indicators confirm the strong demand for the Russian education system and the durability of cultural and humanitarian ties.

We also actively cooperate with Russia within multilateral frameworks such as the CIS, SCO, EAEU, as well as the “Central Asia Plus” format.

The first meeting of the leaders of Central Asia and Russia, held in 2022 in Astana, became an important milestone marking the launch of a new mechanism for direct dialogue. It resulted in a shared understanding of strategic priorities, outlined key areas of regional connectivity, and laid the foundation for trust-based interaction.

In October this year, the second meeting in the Central Asia–Russia format will take place in Dushanbe, aimed at further developing this dialogue and filling it with concrete projects and initiatives reflecting the interests of all countries of the region and Russia.

We are confident that the Central Asia–Russia format has significant potential for further strengthening multilateral cooperation and enhancing its practical effectiveness.

Dear participants,

Today’s Forum is an important contribution of the expert community to strengthening and developing the Central Asia–Russia format. We expect its outcomes to further strengthen this dialogue by adding practical recommendations.

The Forum program includes five sessions devoted to key areas of our cooperation: energy, transport, security issues, labor migration, digitalization, and innovation. In these areas, we are to develop coordinated approaches and find solutions that meet the interests of all countries of the region and Russia.

I wish all participants productive work, meaningful discussions, and the development of proposals that will contribute to the upcoming Central Asia–Russia Summit of Heads of State.

Thank you.