Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov praised Uzbekistan’s leadership and the growing unity of Central Asia as he addressed the Seventh Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia on November 16 in Tashkent.
Japarov voiced that in Uzbekistan “one can feel the true spirit of Central Asian solidarity,” noting the warmth and deep respect that define relations between the two nations. He also congratulated Uzbekistan on successfully hosting the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Assembly in Samarkand.
“The session was held outside Paris for the first time in 41 years, which is a historic event confirming the rising role of Central Asia in international humanitarian processes. Uzbekistan’s chairmanship has become an example of efficiency, initiative and focus on practical results for the entire region,” Japarov emphasized.
To strengthen ties and accelerate regional development, the Kyrgyz president proposed focusing on three key areas:
- Eliminating barriers to mutual trade by harmonizing standards and technical regulations.
- Moving away from raw-material dependence by creating joint production chains, boosting processing industries, and forming new industrial clusters.
- Using digitalization as a driver of growth, including expanding e-commerce, developing cross-border information-sharing platforms and enhancing cybersecurity.
Japarov stressed the importance of large transport projects, highlighting the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway as a transformative link for the region.
Kyrgyz President noted that the new railway would “not only connect the countries, but also reshape logistics, opening the shortest route to major markets in Asia and Europe.”
He added that the Zangezur corridor project is viewed as a logical continuation of this railway initiative.
To improve efficiency in the transport sector, Japarov proposed developing a unified Digital Transit Corridor — an electronic platform enabling customs information exchange and document processing under a single-window system.
In his closing remarks, the Kyrgyz president commended Uzbekistan’s effective chairmanship of the consultative format, wished Turkmenistan success as the next chair, and reaffirmed Kyrgyzstan’s readiness to support and advance all agreements reached by the regional leaders.
