Mirziyoyev proposes holding an artificial intelligence conference in Samarkand

On October 8, during the Council of Heads of State meeting in Moscow, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan proposed organizing regular meetings of experts and analysts from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, with the next conference in Samarkand focusing on the development of artificial intelligence.

In his speech, Mirziyoyev praised the progress made in multilateral cooperation during Russia's presidency of the CIS.

"Special attention was given to the security and stable development of the CIS countries. The emphasis was on the need to establish systematic cooperation between special services and authorized agencies of CIS member states, enhance methods to combat modern threats, and adopt agreed-upon measures and programmatic documents in the field of cybersecurity," the President's press service stated.

Economic cooperation was highlighted as a key priority. Trade between Uzbekistan and CIS nations has grown by 16% this year, with numerous examples of successful industrial partnerships.

"The necessity to revitalize the activities of CIS branch councils and committees was highlighted. It has been proposed to convene a meeting of the CIS Economic Council and organize an Innovative Development Forum during the international industrial exhibition 'Innoprom' in Tashkent next spring," the report states.

He also stressed the importance of new priorities in long-term CIS partnerships, including the development of Internet technologies, big data, digital solutions, green energy, nuclear technologies, and addressing climate issues.

To boost cultural exchanges, Mirziyoyev suggested holding cultural days for Commonwealth countries and preparing annual joint programs in health, education, art, cinema, tourism, and sports. He expressed satisfaction with the progress of cultural projects in Samarkand and Tashkent, which have been declared the CIS cultural and youth capitals, respectively. Additionally, Uzbekistan has been hosting CIS Open Cup youth competitions in chess and football.

In closing, the Uzbek president congratulated Tajik President Emomali Rahmon for accepting the CIS chairmanship in 2025. Several agreements and decisions on key areas of cooperation were made at the summit.

The summit, chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin, was attended by heads of state from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Armenia, and CIS General Secretary Sergey Lebedev. Discussions focused on multilateral relations, development prospects, and current cooperation issues within the CIS.

Earlier, Putin expressed his hope that all CIS nations would soon ratify the agreement to establish the International Russian Language Organization.