Mirziyoyev participates in the “Central Asia-Gulf Arab States Cooperation Council” summit

On July 19, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, participated in the first summit of the leaders of the Cooperation Council of the Central Asian countries and the Arab Gulf States.

The presidents of other Central Asian countries, including Qasim-Jomart Tokayev from Kazakhstan, Sadir Japarov from Kyrgyz Republic, Imamali Rahmon from Tajikistan, and Serdar Berdimuhamedov from Turkmenistan, were also present at the summit. From the Arab Gulf States, leaders such as Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani from Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum from the United Arab Emirates, Crown Prince Sheikh Mish'al al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah from Kuwait, and President Asad bin Tariq al-Said from the Sultanate of Oman attended the event. Additionally, the special representative of the King of Bahrain, Sheikh Nasir bin Hamad Al Khalifa, and the Secretary-General of the Council, Jasim Muhammad al-Budaiwi, were among the participants.

The summit's agenda focused on activating constructive political dialogue, expanding trade-economic and investment cooperation, and strengthening cultural-humanitarian relations. Participants also exchanged opinions on current aspects of regional and international politics.

In his speech, President Mirziyoyev emphasized the long history of relations between the peoples of Central Asia and the Gulf region. He highlighted the close trade relations, shared values and traditions, and the common foundation of Islam that binds them together.

The President also mentioned the significant contributions of great thinkers and scholars who have historically connected Movarounnahr and the lands of Arabia. Notably, he highlighted Imam Bukhari as "the leader of all scholars."

President Mirziyoyev expressed pride in the fact that two of the six great scholars of the Muslim world were born and raised in the region, with ancient Bukhara becoming famous as "Qubbatul Islam." He also acknowledged the outstanding achievements of Central Asian scholars such as Musa Al-Khorazmi, Abu Rayhan Beruni, Ahmad Farghani, and Ibn Sina, who gained fame worldwide with their scientific works in the Arabic language.

The head of Uzbekistan assessed the current situation, stating that both regions are becoming places of peace, stability, and development, despite existing dangers. He emphasized that Central Asian and Gulf countries consider each other as reliable and long-term partners.

President Mirziyoyev noted the recent elevation of Uzbekistan's relations with the Gulf countries to a new level and proposed expanding practical cooperation in several key areas.

Firstly, in the political sphere, the President highlighted the importance of developing comprehensive cooperation in various formats. He suggested exploring the development of a multilateral Friendship, Interregional Cooperation, and Cooperation Agreement in the future to bring the brotherly countries and peoples closer together.

Secondly, he stressed the need for cooperation in high technologies and investments. The President mentioned the creation of cooperation platforms and working mechanisms in areas like innovations, artificial intelligence, green economy, digitization, smart agriculture, and nano- and biotechnologies. He proposed establishing the Joint Investors Council, with the participation of business representatives, and holding its first meeting in Samarkand.

Thirdly, President Mirziyoyev focused on strengthening trade and transport links. He highlighted the importance of introducing a free trade regime with the Gulf countries, harmonizing technical regulations, and developing electronic commerce. He also suggested working on the development and acceptance of a multilateral trade agreement. In the field of transport and transit, he proposed using the most favorable tariffs in the Middle Transport Corridor, utilizing existing multimodal corridors through Afghanistan, and increasing direct air flights with targeted subsidies.

The President invited partners to participate actively in the construction of the Trans-Afghan railway, which would connect the Gulf states with the region through the closest and most convenient route.

Another significant direction discussed at the summit was ecology and climate change issues. The importance of developing a joint international research program based on the Central Asian University of Environmental and Climate Change Studies in Uzbekistan was emphasized.

The participants also focused on enhancing tourism in the region. President Mirziyoyev proposed creating a single visa-free tourism space called "Gulf - Central Asia" and establishing modern clusters for tourists. He suggested increasing joint tourism products and hosting the forum of leading tourism operators of the regions in Khiva, which was declared the tourism capital of the Islamic world in 2024.

Within the framework of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the issue of joint action against Islamophobia observed worldwide received special attention.
Additionally, President Mirziyoyev emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation in the fight against terrorism, extremism, and radicalism. He called for measures to protect young people from the spread of such threats through the Internet and media.

The President of Uzbekistan also addressed the issue of achieving peace in Afghanistan, urging both regions to take the initiative and draw global attention to the problems in Afghanistan. He encouraged making a worthy contribution to improving the lives of the Afghan people.

President Mirziyoyev expressed confidence that the results of the historic summit would elevate multifaceted relations between the Gulf and Central Asian regions to a completely new level. At the end of the meeting, a Joint Statement was adopted, and the participants supported the proposal to hold the next high-level meeting in the format of the "Cooperation Council of the Central Asia-Gulf Arab States" in the city of Samarkand.