Mirziyoyev concerned

On July 4, the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization Summit was held in the city of Khonjendi, Azerbaijan. Speaking at the summit, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev addressed the latest events and new threats occurring in the world and also put forward a number of proposals.

Distinguished heads of delegations!

I am very pleased to meet you on the land of ancient Karabakh, in the beautiful city of Khonjendi, which embodies a unique historical and cultural heritage.

Today, as true brothers, we are immensely pleased that this region is becoming a place of creativity and peace in the true sense of the word.

It is on this basis that I express my deep gratitude to His Excellency Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, for the high-level organization of the Economic Cooperation Organization Summit and for the warm welcome.

Since our historic summit in Tashkent, significant progress has been made in strengthening the institutional capacity of the Organization and establishing cooperation in new directions.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to especially emphasize the effective chairmanship of the Republic of Kazakhstan within the framework of our Organization.

At the same time, we are glad that the delegation of the Interim Government of Afghanistan is participating in our conference after a long break. We see neighboring Afghanistan as an integral part of the territory of our Organization, an important participant in the processes of large-scale economic cooperation and transport interconnection, and we fully support it.

Dear participants of the meeting!

Our summit today is taking place in a difficult situation, when the entire world community is experiencing a sharp crisis.

In particular, the fact that most of the conflicts are taking place precisely in the territory of our Organization is a clear confirmation of our concern. The events that have taken place in South Asia and the Middle East in recent months deeply concern us all.

The decline of international law and global security institutions is further weakening dialogue and cooperation, opening the way for the use of force and violence. In particular, the military actions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, a member of our Organization, have created a threat of drawing the entire region into a vortex of war and causing a large-scale environmental disaster.

We support the agreement reached between Iran and Israel on a ceasefire. We assess this decision as an important step towards easing tensions in the region and restoring security.

We believe that this agreement will create a solid foundation for resolving all problems through diplomatic and constructive negotiations.

Considering that the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their prevention is the most pressing issue of international security, we call on the world community to once again expand the geography of nuclear-weapon-free zones.

It should be emphasized that peace and stability in the Middle East cannot be achieved without a just solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

We support the cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip, the elimination of any obstacles to the provision of humanitarian assistance to the population suffering from hunger and inhumane conditions, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in accordance with United Nations resolutions.

Dear participants of the summit!

The foundation of peace and development lies, first and foremost, in economic cooperation. Therefore, partnership within our Organization is not only natural but also of great strategic importance today.

Based on the agenda of our meeting, I would like to draw your attention to a number of key issues.

First of all, we need to identify the priority areas for the development of our Organization in the medium and long term.

In this regard, we must adopt the concept of “Strategic Goals of Economic Cooperation – 2035.” This document, in addition to traditional areas such as trade, investment, transport, energy, industry, agriculture, ecology, tourism, and education, should give special attention to strengthening cooperation in innovations, artificial intelligence, and digital technologies.

Within our Organization, the issues of simplifying trade in goods and services, gradually removing technical and non-tariff barriers, and developing e-commerce are particularly relevant.

I would like to highlight that, at present, the volume of mutual trade remains low. This figure is expected to reach \$95 billion in 2024, which constitutes only 10% of our countries’ total trade turnover.

We propose to hold a meeting of our trade ministers in Tashkent this year to discuss strategic issues in this area and to conclude an agreement on Trade Facilitation.

In addition, it is urgent to establish a system of “green corridors” aimed at the rapid exchange of information on agricultural trade and ensuring the smooth delivery of goods.

To elevate our investment cooperation and make the investment environment more transparent and attractive, we propose adopting a long-term “Ecoinvest” program. We believe the main objective of this program is to actively engage private investors, banks, and international financial institutions in promising regional projects.

Another priority area is transport and logistics. Recent geopolitical events have once again demonstrated the high risk of disruptions in international logistics chains and the strategic importance of developing alternative transport corridors.

Last year, we launched the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway project. In the future, this key route will connect with the Trans-Afghan corridor, enabling effective integration of transit networks across our vast region.

We believe it is time to implement the initiative to establish a Digital Transport and Customs Office to systematically digitize the transport and logistics sector, and we support the intensification of expert-level negotiations in this direction.

Opening new air routes within the region, establishing innovative forms of cooperation between airlines, and developing integrated marketing strategies between the tourism and aviation sectors are among the most urgent tasks. To address these issues, we propose organizing a National Airline Forum in Samarkand.

Looking ahead, we have strong potential to double the tourist flow in our region. Developing a “roadmap” to expand tourism services within the framework of the Organization will serve this noble goal.

I would also like to draw your attention to another important issue.

It is crucial to unite the aspirations and efforts of our states on matters within the global climate agenda. We strongly support the full implementation of the commitments and agreements adopted at the COP-29 Global Climate Summit, successfully held in Baku.

We propose developing a Transboundary “Green Program” under the Organization to create forests and recreational zones in desert areas.

Dear heads of delegations!

We positively assess the work of the High-Level Committee established to improve the Organization’s operations. I believe you will support my proposal to assign the Committee the task of developing specific proposals and recommendations for reforming the Organization ahead of the next summit.

Such reforms will elevate our cooperation to a new level. This meeting will undoubtedly help increase the Organization’s prestige and influence on the international stage and improve its activities in line with the demands of the times.

I am confident that today’s summit will provide a meaningful impetus to our shared goals and ambitions, helping to raise our multilateral and practical cooperation to new heights.

Thank you for your attention!