As previously reported, on February 19-20, Tashkent hosted an International Conference “Central Asian connectivity: challenges and new opportunities”.

On the second day of the conference, sectional meetings were held, where relevant reports were presented on issues such as mutually beneficial relations of Central Asian countries with the international community, the study and prospects for implementing the experience of regional cooperation.

Representatives of international organizations and foreign countries noted that the initiatives of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev regarding strengthening mutual trust in the region, consolidating approaches and opportunities for development, the political will of the heads of Central Asian countries towards supporting regional cooperation contribute to maintaining peace, security and stability.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov noted that the international conference, organized at the initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev together with the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, was full of comprehensively useful dialogues. It was emphasized that the event was attended by over 30 countries, more than 100 political scientists, representatives of analytical centers, experts, international financial institutions, and regional structures. About 110 reports were heard at the conference. Important proposals were made on political-diplomatic, trade-economic, transport-communications, regional security, ecology, rational use of water and energy resources, further expansion of cooperation in tourism, scientific-technical, cultural-humanitarian and other fields, establishing peace in neighboring Afghanistan.

Participants of the conference noted the similarity of the parties’ positions on current issues of the conference agenda. It was emphasized that active maintenance of good-neighborly relations, mutually beneficial cooperation, which are a common goal and priorities, will contribute to ensuring sustainable socio-economic progress in the region. It was noted that this meeting became a useful and effective preparatory stage for the next consultative meeting of the heads of Central Asian countries, which will be held in April this year in Tashkent.

Following the international conference, a press conference was held. Media representatives got the information on the results of the event.