Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) – On 15-16 September,  Samarkand hosted a very important event - the summit of the SCO heads of states. It differed from the previous ones with a rich program, a comprehensive agenda, as well as a broad representation of states, international and regional organizations. Leaders and high representatives of about 20 states, heads of more than 10 international and regional organizations took part in its work.

An unprecedented outcome of the summit was the adoption of 44 documents, including strategic and conceptual ones. They identified the comprehensive expansion of mutual trade, the development of infrastructure, industrial cooperation, the acceleration of green and digital transformation, the joint fight against infectious diseases, the negative effects of the climate, and others as the main directions for further deepening mutually beneficial cooperation.

The collective solutions worked out contain answers to the challenges that the international community is facing today and are designed to satisfy the need of the peoples of the world to restore socio-economic and political stability.

Without a doubt, the past Samarkand summit marked the beginning of a historically new stage in the process of further transformation of the system of international relations, which is based on a joint desire to solve common problems of an economic, social, cultural and humanitarian nature based on the principles of mutual trust, equality, respect for the interests of each other. 

Many different initiatives were announced at the forum, the implementation of which will undoubtedly contribute to the expansion and deepening of mutually beneficial multifaceted cooperation in the SCO space.

At the same time, the Samarkand initiative of solidarity for the sake of common security and prosperity, put forward by the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, can rightly be called the key initiative, which received the universal support of all countries of the Organization and found a separate consolidation in the final part of the final document of the summit - the Samarkand Declaration.

A distinctive feature of this initiative is its focus on solving such a fundamental problem of today’s international relations, which hinder effective and mutually beneficial cooperation of states on various issues of the global and regional agenda, as a lack of mutual trust.

It is the lack of trust and understanding in relations between states that is the root cause of the global complex crisis that the international community is facing today.

We are witnessing geopolitical confrontation and confrontational rivalry, the revival of stereotypes of bloc thinking and the growth of mutual alienation, disregard for the principles and norms of international law, which, in turn, leads to the destruction of the international architecture of security and sustainable development, limiting the ability to resolve various acute regional and local conflicts based on integrated and coordinated approaches.

This causes dysfunction of multilateral institutions, leads to the loss of their ability to serve as the most important conductors in solving urgent problems of our time, creates uncertainty in the international arena, and also exacerbates numerous challenges and threats to the sustainable development of states. Among them are the negative consequences of climate change, the lack of water and natural resources, the socio-economic consequences of the pandemic, the aggravation of energy and food security problems that lead to economic imbalances and social upheavals.

It becomes obvious that the growing rupture of the fundamental foundations of international cooperation, its fragmentation does not meet the interests of everyone.

Under these conditions, as President Shavkat Mirziyoyev notes, the global demand for mutual trust, justice and solidarity is growing. More than ever, the continuation of an open and constructive dialogue, the restoration of multilateral formats of international cooperation is in demand.

At the same time, modern realities are such that the contradictions between the leading states of the world in matters of politics, security and economics have become so aggravated that it is unlikely to expect mutually acceptable compromises on them in the foreseeable future. However, in the interests of common security and stability, the search for mutually beneficial solutions should not stop, which, of course, requires the maintenance and consistent deepening of the dialogue.

This is the relevance and exceptional importance of the Samarkand initiative, the main goal of which is the gradual and at the same time progressive restoration of trust through the involvement of all interested states in the global inter-civilizational dialogue, the search for agreed approaches and solutions, the removal of global tension, uncertainty and unpredictability in order to establish international cooperation.

To achieve these goals, an effective platform is an establishment of inter-civilizational and intercultural relations and dialogue, not burdened by the ideological agenda and political and economic interests. As President Shavkat Mirziyoyev notes, today such a dialogue, free from geopolitical rivalry, ideological contradictions and disputes, is extremely in demand.

Thus, the Samarkand initiative is designed to unite the efforts of the states and peoples of the world to mitigate existing contradictions and disagreements by building up cultural, civilizational, interethnic, interreligious interaction based on the principles of equality, cooperation, tolerance, justice, humanism, recognition of the priority of universal values, respect for cultural, national, religious diversity.

In order to develop algorithms for the practical implementation of this initiative, the leader of Uzbekistan proposes to hold an international Samarkand forum in 2023 with the participation of a wide range of actors - from political leaders, authoritative representatives of public, business, academic and expert circles to representatives of the clergy, cultural and art workers.

The Samarkand Forum, being the main dialogue platform of the Samarkand Initiative, will be intentionally inclusive. This will ensure a comprehensive consideration of interests, strengthening trust and mutual understanding at all levels, among various social groups, cultures and civilizations in various fields.

At the same time, the work of the forum will be based on a rich Program of Action, which may include a set of measures to find mutually acceptable solutions to the most pressing international and regional problems, as well as to strengthen the spirit of dialogue, mutual understanding, respect and trust, build up political, diplomatic, economic and cultural humanitarian cooperation. This, in turn, will give a systemic character to the process of implementing the Samarkand Initiative, ensure its openness, transparency, inclusiveness and efficiency.

Such an approach undoubtedly meets the needs of states to preserve, multiply and pass on to future generations their centuries-old cultural and civilizational values. This is one of the key factors that will contribute to the support, development and achievement of the set goals, a guarantor of the strength and reliability of cooperation on the proposed platform.

In fact, the Samarkand Initiative will become the practical implementation of the UN Declaration on the Dialogue of Civilizations, adopted in 2001, by the UN General Assembly and calling on governments to encourage, approve and support dialogue among civilizations.

It is important to note that the Samarkand initiative, although global in nature, is not by chance put forward within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Since its founding, the SCO has always remained committed to the "Shanghai spirit" and its fundamental principles - non-bloc status, non-alignment against third countries, openness, consensus, trust, mutual benefit, equality and respect for cultural diversity and common prosperity.

Moreover, as President Shavkat Mirziyoyev notes, the SCO is a unique interstate structure that has managed to unite countries with different cultural and civilizational codes, their own foreign policy guidelines and models of national development. The formula for the success of the SCO is the promotion of multifaceted cooperation, the absence of an ideological dogma in its activities and adherence to universal values and universally recognized norms.

Strictly following the "Shanghai Spirit" and the principles of the SCO Charter and effectively interacting with various states, international and regional organizations in resolving many pressing issues, the SCO has come a long way in a short historical period, becoming an integral element of the modern global world order and a pole of attraction.

In the year of its presidency, Uzbekistan managed to preserve and increase the "Shanghai spirit", as evidenced by the wide representation of states and international organizations at the Samarkand summit, the launch of the process of expanding the SCO through new members, dialogue partners and observers, including Iran, the Republic of Belarus, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Maldives, Myanmar and others, often holding diametrically opposed views.

It is the desire of Uzbekistan to convey to all interested parties the experience of interaction within the framework of the SCO that explains the choice of this platform for the promotion of the Samarkand initiative.

At the same time, the choice of Samarkand as an integral part of the initiative has a deep meaning. As President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted, since ancient times this city has been a center of spiritual, economic, cultural and scientific exchange between peoples living in the space from East Asia to North Africa, the Middle East and Europe. This city is a clear example of how the principles of tolerance and respect for the traditions and values of different peoples have been put into practice for centuries.

In the dynamic and proactive diplomacy of President Shavkat Mirziyev, Samarkand has acquired a special dimension, acting as a unique platform for promoting the most important international and diplomatic initiatives of Uzbekistan.

It was in Samarkand that the process of regional cooperation and rapprochement was launched. In particular, following the results of the historic conference “Central Asia: One Past and Common Future, Cooperation for Sustainable Development and Mutual Prosperity”, organized in 2017 under the auspices of the UN, the “Samarkand Spirit” was formed, thanks to which Central Asia began to transform into a space of good neighborliness and trust, mutually beneficial cooperation and sustainable development.

This process was also supported by the UN. In 2018, the General Assembly of the Organization adopted a special resolution “Strengthening regional and international cooperation to ensure peace, stability and sustainable development in the Central Asian region”, recognizing the important role of the dialogue of the countries of Central Asia in ensuring peace, stability and sustainable development in the region, as well as in encouraging regional and international cooperation.

In this regard, the Samarkand initiative is a kind of symbiosis of the "Shanghai spirit" and "Samarkand spirit". If the first is built on the principles of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, respect for the diversity of cultures and common development, the second, as President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted, is the embodiment of constructive dialogue, mutual understanding, good neighborliness and friendship.

And reliance on these principles, which should become the basis and content of the Samarkand initiative, is the key to its successful implementation.

Another factor instilling confidence in the success of this initiative is the high level of responsibility that Uzbekistan is aware of for the stability, security and sustainable development of the region, as well as the accumulated political and diplomatic experience in conducting a constructive dialogue, joint search for solutions to common problems.

Thus, in a historically short period of time, Tashkent managed to establish good-neighborly relations with neighboring countries and jointly solve acute system-nodal problems related to the border, water resources, energy, transport, communication and other issues, as well as consolidate the efforts of the international community in the social economic stabilization of Afghanistan.

Moreover, by implementing a balanced, open, constructive and pragmatic foreign policy, Uzbekistan has built balanced relations with all global players, carries out practical interaction with China, the Russian Federation, the USA, the EU, with the countries of South Asia, the Asia-Pacific region and the Arab world.

In fact, Uzbekistan has become a kind of "mediator" of dialogue between various states and international organizations, has established itself as a responsible state capable of making an important contribution to establishing constructive cooperation and finding mutually acceptable solutions.

It is important to note that by putting forward this initiative, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev once again demonstrated his commitment to an open, constructive, peaceful and pragmatic policy. It can even be argued that the Samarkand Initiative is a concentrated expression of the political “Mirziyoyev Doctrine”, which is based on the principles of openness, comprehensive inclusive dialogue, pragmatism, constructive cooperation, respect for equality and consideration of the interests of everyone, as well as the search for reasonable compromises.

And it is obvious that such an approach is in demand today in international relations. Moreover, a great need to restore dialogue, mutual understanding and solidarity is felt by the peoples of the world, who, in the context of the disorganization of the systems of political, economic and financial relations, are faced with uncertainty about their future.

The leaders of the states also spoke about this at the summit. In particular, the urgent need to maintain the philosophy of a trusting dialogue in international relations, peaceful and negotiated methods of resolving conflict situations, and maintaining a balance of interests when considering certain problem points was emphasized.

In conclusion, I would like to express confidence that the Samarkand Initiative of Solidarity for the Sake of Common Security and Prosperity, supported by the SCO member states, will contribute to the restoration and strengthening of trust and mutual understanding in relations between states, will make a significant contribution to the development of dialogue and cooperation as an important condition for overcoming those challenges and threats that humanity faces today.

Akramjon Nematov, First Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan