Tashkent to host Central Asian Expert Forum on trust, security, and sustainable development

Established in 2018, the CAEF is held annually in the country chairing the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia. The forum serves as an important platform for discussing the current state and prospects of regional cooperation, as well as developing recommendations for its further advancement.

The event is organized by the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan (ISRS). Partners include the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

Central Asia will traditionally be represented at the forum by heads and specialists from strategic institutions, research centers, and academic circles from the region’s countries. For the first time, leading experts from EU member states, ASEAN, the Nordic Council, as well as researchers from Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Azerbaijan have been invited to share experience in regional studies.

The forum’s program includes discussions on deepening regional cooperation and identifying concrete measures to advance multifaceted engagement.

In addition, several special events will be held as part of the forum: a scientific and practical conference on fostering regional identity, and a roundtable on prospects for building partnerships in the “Central Asia – Northern Europe” format.

The upcoming expert dialogue is expected to identify common interests and set benchmarks for the future development of Central Asia. The recommendations developed will make an important contribution to enriching the agenda of the forthcoming Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia, which is scheduled to take place later this year in Uzbekistan.