Tashkent will host the First Forum of Think Tanks of Central Asian Countries and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf
On April 28–29, 2025, the First Forum of think tanks of Central Asian countries and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will be held in Tashkent on the topic: “Strengthening strategic partnership: from historical ties to comprehensive cooperation."
The event is organized by the Institute of Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Saudi Arabian research center "Gulf Research Center".
The forum will bring together on one platform more than 70 authoritative experts from Central Asian countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) and the GCC (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain) and will be an important milestone in strengthening further cooperation between the two vast macro-regions. Representatives of the GCC Secretariat, the diplomatic corps and the business community are also invited to its work.
The forum participants will discuss key aspects of the current and future interaction between the states of Central Asia and the Arab countries of the Gulf. The focus will be on strengthening political dialogue and coordinated approaches to ensuring regional security, deepening trade and investment ties, implementing promising projects in the field of green energy and developing transport corridors.
Particular emphasis will be placed on developing practical initiatives that can give a qualitatively new dynamic to interregional partnerships and unlock the potential for joint development of countries.
B Among the main expected results is the adoption of a joint statement and the signing of memorandums of cooperation between think tanks in Central Asia and the GCC. It is expected that these documents will lay the foundation for establishing systemic interaction between the expert communities of the two regions.
In addition, the recommendations developed will be an important contribution to enriching the agenda of the Second Summit of Leaders of Countries in the “Central Asia-GCC” format, which is scheduled to be held in Samarkand.
The upcoming forum will help strengthen the long-term partnership between the Central Asian countries Asia and the Gulf countries, will revive the common historical heritage and set new guidelines for strengthening multifaceted dialogue.
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