Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) - Today, on 14 December, an international conference was held at the International Institute of Central Asia on the topic "Problems of regional security in Central Asia after August 2021."

The organizers of the event are MICA, the A. Gorchakov Foundation for Public Diplomacy Support and the scientific and educational program of the School for Central Asia Foundation.

The partners of the event are the Information and Analytical Center of the Moscow State University. M. Lomonosov, Institute for Economic Strategies, Institute of World Economy and International Relations. E. Primakova and the Moscow State Institute of International Relations of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A welcoming speech was made by the Director of MICA Anvar Nasirov, Deputy Executive Director of the Foundation. A. Gorchakova Daria Lobanova, senior researcher at the Center for Post-Soviet Studies, IMEMO RAS, scientific director of the School for Central Asia Stanislav Pritchin.

The event was attended by about 90 experts and scientists, applicants and students from Central Asia, Russia and Azerbaijan.

Among them are representatives of the IMEMO RAN, the Moscow State Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, the Moscow State University named after V.I. M. Lomonosov, Russian University of Economics. G. Plekhanov, St. Petersburg State University, Far Eastern Federal University, Institute of Diplomacy of the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Center for Applied Research "TALAP" (Kazakhstan), Ministry of Energy and Industry of Kyrgyzstan, Institute for Strategic Analysis and Forecast of the Kyrgyz-Russian University, Tajik State University of Law, Business and Politics, as well as heads of non-state research centers and independent experts from Central Asian countries.

The Uzbek side was represented by MICA, the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the National University of Uzbekistan named after Mirzo Ulugbek, the Singapore Institute for Management Development in Tashkent, the Federation of Trade Unions of Uzbekistan, etc.

A. Gorchakov Foundation is holding an event in Uzbekistan for the first time. In addition, the Foundation also signed a Cooperation Agreement for the first time in its history and the International Institute of Central Asia (MICA) became its partner.

Within the framework of three panel sessions, experts and conference participants analyzed the role of the Central Asian region on the geopolitical map in the emerging world order, discussed topical issues of regional security, taking into account the situation in Afghanistan, and also presented a view on the image of the future of Central Asia.

Opening the event, the Director of MICA Anvar Nasirov focused on the fact that thanks to large-scale positive changes in Central Asia, building confidence and building up multifaceted cooperation between countries, the region is increasingly attracting the attention of the entire world community.

In his opinion, today Central Asia is increasingly viewed on global platforms as an integral consolidated region, and not as separate states that are united not only by a common history, culture, traditions and values, but also by common political and trade and economic interests.

In this context, the MICA Director noted the dependence of security and further development of Central Asia with the stabilization of the situation in Afghanistan.

Deputy Executive Director - Program Director of the A. Gorchakov Foundation Daria Lobanova emphasized that Uzbekistan is a privileged partner of Russia.

"Thanks to the new open foreign policy of Tashkent aimed at consolidating the region, carried out since 2016 under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, for the first time in the history of the Fund, the event is being held in Uzbekistan," she said.

In her opinion, Central Asia and Russia are connected not only by geographic location, but also by cooperation in a broader context.

The head of the Rossotrudnichestvo representative office, Mikhail Vozhdaev, noted that this event is a natural cooperation between scientific and expert circles of Russia and the countries of the region.

The constructive position of Uzbekistan on the Afghan settlement, aimed at ensuring peace and stability, was noted.

Stanislav Pritchin, senior researcher at the Center for Post-Soviet Studies at the IMEMO RAS, scientific director of the School for Central Asia, said that the creation of the International Institute of Central Asia clearly demonstrates the Leader of Uzbekistan’s intention to pursue an open and mutually beneficial regional policy, incl. with the involvement of external actors in these processes:

"Today, the Institute’s site is becoming the center of attraction for the international expert community dealing with Central Asian issues."

Professor of St. Petersburg State University Alexander Knyazev noted that the holding of today’s conference in Tashkent again demonstrates the leading role of Uzbekistan in regional cooperation.

The importance of a constant dialogue between analytical centers for the development of common approaches for the further development of mutually beneficial cooperation was noted.

According to independent researcher Rizoyon Sherali, regional integration processes initiated by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan are bearing fruit. The regional security system has undergone positive changes, the countries have established a close dialogue on the stability and sustainable development of the region.

Associate Professor of the Department of Political Science of the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University named after B.N. Yeltsin Nargiza Muratalieva said that the countries of Central Asia have realized the need to strengthen intraregional cooperation, coordination in matters of management and strengthening of state borders. 

The participants in the event were unanimous in the opinion that only through joint efforts of the countries of the region it is possible to ensure stability, security and sustainable development in Central Asia. It was emphasized that the trends observed in recent years to strengthen mutual understanding, friendship and good neighborliness have significantly increased the potential for interaction and make it possible to use enormous opportunities for promoting joint cooperation projects for the benefit of fraternal peoples and countries.

Public Diplomacy Support Foundation named after A.M. Gorchakov was established by the order of the President of Russia on 2 February 2010. The Foundation conducts events aimed at supporting the sphere of public diplomacy, improving the foreign policy image of Russia abroad.

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Gorchakov Foundation is the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov. Among the current members of the Council are Aide to the President of Russia Yuri Ushakov, President of the Russian International Affairs Council Igor Ivanov, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly Konstantin Kosachev, Head of Rossotrudnichestvo Evgeny Primakov, Rector of MGIMO Anatoly Torkunov, President of the IMEMO named after E.M. Primakov RAS Alexander Dynkin and other prominent political, public figures and heads of large companies.