Tashkent to host historic first forum between Central Asia and GCC

On April 28-29, Tashkent will host the first-ever forum of Central Asian countries and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) research centers, focusing on “Strengthening Strategic Partnership: From Historical Ties to Comprehensive Cooperation”. The announcement was made by Dunyo News Agency.

The event is being organized by the Strategic and Interregional Studies Institute under the President of Uzbekistan, in collaboration with Saudi Arabia’s Gulf Research Center.

The forum will bring together over 70 leading experts from Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) and the GCC (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain) to discuss deepening cooperation between the two macro-regions. Representatives from the GCC Secretariat, diplomatic corps, and business sectors have also been invited.

Participants will explore key aspects of current and future partnerships, focusing on regional security, political dialogue, trade and investment ties, green energy, and transportation corridors. Experts will propose strategic initiatives to strengthen ties across these sectors.

"The forum aims to introduce a new dynamic to interregional collaboration, highlighting the shared potential for joint development and promoting practical initiatives," the report states.

One of the forum’s key deliverables will be a joint declaration, as well as the signing of cooperation memorandums between research centers in Central Asia and the GCC. These agreements are expected to lay the foundation for systematic collaboration between expert communities in both regions.

Additionally, recommendations from the forum will help shape the agenda for the second Central Asia-GCC leaders’ summit, planned to take place in Samarkand later this year.

The event seeks to solidify long-term strategic partnerships, revive historical ties, and enhance multi-faceted dialogue between Central Asia and the Gulf nations.