Central Asian and Azerbaijani leaders discuss regional cooperation, adopt Cholpon-Ata Declaration

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in an informal meeting of the heads of state of Central Asia and Azerbaijan held in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan, on 31 July. The summit concluded with the adoption of the Cholpon-Ata Declaration.

The meeting was attended by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, and President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov. The leaders discussed sustainable development, economic growth, regional security, and improving the well-being of their nations.

Opening his remarks, Mirziyoyev thanked Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov for hosting the informal summit and Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov for his effective chairmanship of the Consultative Meetings format. He also highlighted the achievements of the region's countries ahead of the 35th anniversary of their independence, noting that Central Asia is increasingly consolidating around shared development goals through joint efforts.

The Uzbek President said Azerbaijan's participation in the Consultative Meetings format elevates regional cooperation to a broader macro-regional level. According to him, this creates an opportunity to build a unified development space linking Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Afghanistan.

Mirziyoyev identified strengthening the architecture of regional cooperation, expanding coordination within interstate organizations and the "Central Asia Plus" formats, deepening trade and transport connectivity, developing integrated industrial and technological value chains, and creating shared digital services and investment platforms as key priorities for future cooperation.

Particular attention was also given to education, science, and innovation. The President proposed establishing an integrated regional infrastructure combining human capital, artificial intelligence technologies, data centers, and energy resources to transform Central Asia into a competitive regional hub in these fields.

Mirziyoyev also stressed the need for coordinated action on environmental protection and climate change adaptation. He noted that this summer's extreme heat had demonstrated the impact of climate change on economic development, water and energy security, public health, and quality of life, underscoring the need for long-term joint solutions.

In the humanitarian sphere, the President emphasized the importance of strengthening cultural and people-to-people ties across the region. He said that while preserving national identities, the countries are gradually developing a shared regional identity that should be supported by deeper humanitarian cooperation.

Concluding his address, Mirziyoyev expressed confidence that the region's future development should be built on unity, mutual trust, and a shared commitment to constructive cooperation. The other participating leaders also presented their visions for the future of regional cooperation.