Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Samarkand Initiative is a platform for finding new approaches to ensuring security and sustainable development. This point of view was expressed by Akramjon Nematov, First Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies (ISMI) under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, speaking at the expert forum "Central Asia - Russia: an agenda for joint development", which took place on 18 October in Astana.

Speaking at a session dedicated to ensuring regional security, Akramjon Nematov noted that today, thanks to well-established interstate cooperation based on the principles of good neighborliness and mutually beneficial cooperation, Central Asia demonstrates increased resistance to various security challenges and threats, and has an increased potential for sustainable development region.

However, the global complex crisis that the international community is currently facing, the escalation with a new force of geopolitical confrontation, systemic failures in the global economy and the instability of the global financial system, directly affect and the states of Central Asia, adversely affect the prospects for regional development and hinder efforts for economic integration, cause an increase in risks for the security and sustainable development of the region, - said the deputy head of the ISMI.

According to him, under these conditions, it is necessary to continue to make collective efforts to strengthen the architecture of comprehensive, equal and indivisible security in Central Asia, transform the region into a space of inclusive growth and shared prosperity. In this context, the importance of building joint work in the field of ensuring economic security was noted, paying special attention to the energy and food self-sufficiency of the Central Asian states.

He said that against the backdrop of rising energy prices and the disruption of global transport and transit ties, Central Asia is facing difficulties in importing food products. The increase in transport costs has led to an increase in food prices. Also, in the context of growing economies and demographics, the demand for energy resources is increasing in the region.

Moreover, food security is increasingly being adversely affected by the effects of climate change, which is rampant with water scarcity, soil degradation and biodiversity loss.

At the same time, according to the deputy head of the ISMI, the potential of the states of Central Asia and the Russian Federation makes it possible to consistently provide domestic markets with grain crops, livestock and fruits and vegetables, as well as basic types of food. In addition, Central Asia has a rich natural resource base and energy resources.

The representative of the ISMI emphasized that in these conditions it is necessary to develop new approaches to creating sustainable mechanisms for cooperation in the field of ensuring energy and food security, including through deepening cooperation ties, introducing smart agricultural technologies, accelerated green and digital transformation, developing alternative energy, joint development and development of promising fields, building efficient logistics with the creation of "green" corridors.

In addition, Akramjon Nematov stated that the emerging deterioration of the socio-economic situation is causing an increase in the marginalization of certain sections of society, an increase in social inequality, which creates a fertile ground for the expansion of radical ideas, especially among young people.

At the same time, illicit drug trafficking provides financial support for extremism and terrorism, primarily due to the ongoing instability in Afghanistan, which gives rise to various forms of organized crime.

In this regard, the importance of consolidating efforts for the socio-economic stabilization of Afghanistan, which, unfortunately, has recently been relegated to the periphery of the international agenda, was noted. The persistence of military-political tension and the growing humanitarian crisis in this country make it a hotbed of threats not only for the states of the region, but for the whole world as a whole. The aggravation of the socio-economic situation in Afghanistan creates favorable conditions for expanding the activities of terrorist organizations and increasing drug production.

In this regard, as the ISMI expert noted, the Central Asian countries and Russia should play an important role in stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan. “We must assist in the restoration of the country’s economy, its involvement in regional cooperation, and the implementation of infrastructure projects. Without effective measures to help restore the economy of this country, it is impossible to achieve a lasting peace, as well as the development of effective interregional interconnectedness,” he stressed.

The conglomeration of the above problems, according to Akramjon Nematov, creates a fertile ground for the emergence of ever new challenges and threats in the information space. Today, all countries of the world are facing threats of the spread of destructive and false information, information and ideological influence on the immature minds of young people, problems of unauthorized access and hacking of information systems.

With this in mind, Uzbekistan is firmly interested in strengthening regional and international cooperation to ensure security, stability and sustainable development in Central Asia.

-Following the principles of respect for each other’s interests, mutual benefit and the search for reasonable compromises, our country has put forward the Samarkand initiative of solidarity in the name of common security and prosperity, he stressed.

It is designed to unite states and peoples with different economies, geography, cultures for joint reflection and search for new approaches to ensuring security and sustainable development.

“This initiative will allow us to form a new global dialogue platform on topical issues of our time, free from geopolitical rivalry, cultural and value differences and ideological bias,” Akramjon Nematov concluded.

The event was organized by the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies in cooperation with the National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations named after E.M. Primakov of the Russian Academy of Sciences. It was attended by experts from leading analytical centers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Russia. As guests of honor - the heads of diplomatic missions of all Central Asian countries and the Russian Federation accredited in the Republic of Kazakhstan.