New Horizons of SCO Cooperation Discussed in Tashkent

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — A roundtable on “The SCO in Transformation: Uzbekistan’s Initiatives and New Horizons” was held at the Sputnik Multimedia Press Center in Tashkent, bringing together experts and analysts from Uzbekistan and Russia.

Participants reviewed the outcomes of the SCO summit held on 31 August – 1 September in China, noting that it provided the organization with new momentum, enhanced its political significance, and created conditions for further deepening strategic partnership between Russia and Uzbekistan.

Stanislav Pritchin, Head of the Central Asia Sector at the E. M. Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO) of the Russian Academy of Sciences and an expert at the Russian International Affairs Council, emphasized Russia’s full support for Uzbekistan’s initiatives in investment and technological cooperation. He also highlighted the growing global interest in the rare and strategic metals abundant in Central Asia.

Energy cooperation received particular attention. During the World Atomic Week in Moscow, plans were announced by the Russian state corporation Rosatom to build two large and two small nuclear power plants in Uzbekistan by 2035. Experts noted that this decision carries strategic importance for both Russia and Uzbekistan.

Daniyar Kurbanov, representative of the International Institute for Central Asia, emphasized the significance of the Tianjin Declaration, which recognized Central Asia as the core of the SCO. He also highlighted key signed documents, including the Organization’s Development Strategy through 2035 and the Energy Cooperation Roadmap through 2030.

The discussion underscored the active development of the “Central Asia–Russia” format, which has now reached the level of heads-of-state meetings.

The second summit in this format is scheduled to take place in Dushanbe in October and is expected to mark another step toward strengthening regional partnership.