Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Eldor Aripov, Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan (ISRS), has called for political commitments between Central Asia and the European Union to be translated into concrete projects and measurable results.
Speaking at the first Central Asia-EU Think Tank Forum, held in Brussels on 27–28 October 2026, Aripov emphasized that the effectiveness of the strategic partnership should be assessed by its practical achievements rather than political declarations.
The forum, titled “Central Asia-EU: Transforming Cooperation in a Changing World,” brought together leaders of prominent think tanks from Central Asia and the European Union at the headquarters of the European External Action Service (EEAS).
The event was organized by Uzbekistan's Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies, the Office of the EU Special Representative for Central Asia and the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS).
The gathering followed the first Central Asia-EU Summit in Samarkand and reflected an initiative by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to expand cooperation between leading research institutions in the two regions.
Discussions focused on strengthening interregional cooperation, international security, trade and economic relations, transport connectivity and people-to-people exchanges between Central Asia and Europe.
Addressing the forum, Aripov described the decision to hold the inaugural meeting at the EEAS headquarters as symbolic, saying it reflected Central Asia's growing importance on the European agenda and both sides' interest in deeper, more substantive engagement.
He noted that Central Asia was emerging as an independent center of economic and geopolitical significance, with annual economic growth exceeding 6% and a population that could surpass 100 million by 2050.
The region's importance as a transport hub and a source of critical resources is also increasing, he said.
According to Aripov, stronger intraregional cooperation, expanding trade and infrastructure development are laying the groundwork for the gradual emergence of a unified economic space.
Against this background, relations between Central Asia and Europe are becoming increasingly significant.
A major milestone was the first Central Asia-EU Summit, held in Samarkand in April 2025 under the chairmanship of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The summit elevated relations between the two regions to the level of a strategic partnership.
During the summit, Mirziyoyev stressed the need to give the new framework practical substance through specific decisions, projects and programs.
His proposals included establishing a joint investment platform to promote major regional projects, concluding a multilateral investment protection agreement and launching a joint chamber of commerce.
Other initiatives involved holding regular meetings of foreign ministers, establishing an Interparliamentary Cooperation Forum and expanding cooperation among leading think tanks.
Building on these proposals, Aripov said the partnership's future development must reflect the long-term interests of both regions.
He emphasized that cooperation with the European Union should complement Central Asia's relationships with other international partners, expanding opportunities to attract investment and technology, access new markets and diversify transport routes.
“For us, partnership with the European Union is an opportunity to expand economic ties, diversify markets and attract new technologies while maintaining the freedom to cooperate with other partners,” Aripov said.
He added that cooperation should help both sides respond to external challenges while maintaining development momentum and their independence in decision-making.
Achieving these objectives, he argued, requires long-term commitments and sustainable cooperation mechanisms that do not depend solely on prevailing geopolitical circumstances.
Turning to practical priorities, Aripov identified several areas where cooperation could deliver tangible benefits.
One was the development of joint production chains for critical minerals, with an emphasis on expanding processing capacity and manufacturing higher-value-added products.
He also highlighted the importance of strengthening water and climate resilience and improving transport connectivity, including through the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route.
Other priorities included developing human capital, vocational education and digital skills, as well as expanding opportunities for legal labor mobility.
Aripov also called for support for stability in Afghanistan through an approach combining security measures with economic development and educational initiatives.
Concluding his remarks, the ISRS director stressed that the central challenge was implementing existing agreements and translating political priorities into practical outcomes.
“Today, it is important to turn political priorities into concrete projects and practical results. This is the criterion by which the effectiveness of our partnership should be assessed,” Aripov said.
He assigned a particularly important role to the expert community, urging think tanks to develop practical proposals for advancing relations between Central Asia and the European Union.
Forum participants expressed interest in continuing expert dialogue and developing the platform into a regular mechanism for cooperation.
The Brussels gathering was the first forum of its kind to bring together Central Asian and EU think tanks in the Belgian capital.
Organized as a follow-up to the inaugural Central Asia-EU Summit in Samarkand, the forum aims to generate practical recommendations for expanding the strategic partnership between the two regions.
