Economy, Transport, Technology, and Human Capital – Strategic Directions of Uzbekistan–Pakistan Cooperation

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Umarbek Nuriddinov, Chief Research Fellow at the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (ISMI), shared his insights at a roundtable titled “Uzbekistan–Pakistan: Strengthening Regional Links and Creating New Opportunities,” held on 23 January 2026.

The event was organized by the International Central Asia Institute in cooperation with the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Uzbekistan. It brought together representatives of government bodies, leading think tanks, and research and educational institutions from both countries.

During the discussions, participants focused on pressing issues of Uzbekistan–Pakistan cooperation and identified promising areas for collaboration in trade and economics, transport, energy, and cultural-humanitarian spheres.

Nuriddinov emphasized that “the international environment is undergoing deep transformations, characterized by rising global uncertainty, fragmented supply chains, increased protectionism and sanctions, as well as growing climate and resource challenges, all of which are shaping a fundamentally new geoeconomic reality.”

In this context, he noted, developing countries must prioritize the quality of economic growth, diversification, resilience to external shocks, and the ability to integrate into emerging regional and interregional economic configurations to remain competitive.

The expert highlighted the importance of creating a unified regional economic space and establishing sustainable models of mutually beneficial partnership. He pointed out that Uzbekistan and Pakistan are part of a shared geoeconomic space in Central and South Asia, endowed with significant economic, resource, transit, and human potential.

At the same time, he observed that both countries face similar structural challenges, including dependence on raw materials and semi-processed export models, technological gaps, the need for economic diversification, and rising labor market pressures. Nuriddinov argued that this shared set of challenges, combined with existing geostrategic advantages, objectively necessitates consolidating potential and deepening economic engagement.

He identified several interrelated strategic areas for cooperation:

First, in light of rising logistics costs and instability along traditional trade routes, transport connectivity has become a key factor for diversifying foreign economic relations. Nuriddinov stressed the need to intensify joint efforts to develop transport and logistics corridors as a foundation for economic security and external economic resilience.

Second, economic cooperation should focus not only on increasing trade volumes but also on building joint value chains. Priority sectors include agriculture and the agro-industrial complex, textile and food industries, mining, construction materials production, pharmaceuticals, and the banking and financial sector. The importance of high-value industrial projects, agri-clusters, industrial parks, and the implementation of modern technological solutions was emphasized.

Third, in the context of global competition for technology, collaboration in information technology is of strategic importance. Both countries have significant human capital, primarily driven by a young population acquiring digital competencies. Joint projects in software development, digital platforms, e-commerce, and innovative services were highlighted as highly beneficial.

Fourth, the demographic structure of Uzbekistan and Pakistan provides substantial potential for deepening cooperation in education and workforce training and retraining. Nuriddinov noted that this will create a sustainable talent base for industrial and technological collaboration, strengthen economic interdependence, and lay the foundation for long-term competitiveness.

In conclusion, he stated that “deepening cooperation in the spheres of economy, technology, and human capital aligns with the long-term interests of Uzbekistan and Pakistan and corresponds to current global trends.” According to Nuriddinov, such engagement can unlock untapped potential, enhance the resilience of national economies, and foster mutual interest in stability, predictability, and sustainable regional development.