Central Asian countries and the Gulf Cooperation Council: synergy of potentialsPublished on EGF: 16.04.2024 by EGF Editor
The Foreign Ministers of Bahrain, Kuwait, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Qatar discussed the current state and prospects for further strengthening relations between the countries of the Council and the Central Asian States in the areas of politics, security, trade and investment, education, health, culture, youth and sports. Today, the Central Asian and Gulf States regard each other as reliable and long-term partners. All participants in the format are interested in expanding practical co-operation between the two regions in the political, trade and economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres. 
The historical ties between the two regions serve as an important basis for the development and intensification of interaction. Since ancient times, the peoples of Central Asia and the Gulf have maintained close trade relations and shared common values and traditions. Undoubtedly, the sacred religion of Islam is a powerful factor uniting our regions. The prospects of the format were confirmed by the results of the first summit of the heads of state of Central Asia and the Gulf Cooperation Council, held on 19 July 2023 in the Saudi city of Jeddah. The leaders of the countries approved the Joint Action Plan for 2023-2027, which defines long-term directions of mutually beneficial partnership. Addressing the summit, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasised the role of the Gulf States, possessing vast economic, natural and intellectual resources, in ensuring global stability and energy security.
It is worth noting that Uzbekistan's relations with the Gulf States have reached a new level in recent years. Mutually beneficial co-operation is actively developing in all areas. The exchange of high-level and high-level visits has intensified, trade turnover with GCC member states has been consistently growing, as has the number of joint projects being implemented. Among the key areas it is worth noting the successful cooperation with such leading companies as ACWA Power, Masdar, Mubadaala, TACA, Nebras Power, in partnership with which projects of construction of solar and wind power plants with a total capacity of more than 15 gigawatts, as well as energy storage facilities are being implemented. The meeting in Tashkent on April 15 has become another step of the parties to unlock each other's potential, strengthen the platform of mutual understanding, trustful dialogue and equal partnership between the states of two dynamically developing regions.
| External Relations | The Caspian and Central Asia |
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Uzbekistan, and Tashkent in particular, is becoming the venue for an important international forum that should give a practical vector to a new format of interregional cooperation based on the traditions of centuries-old exchanges between the peoples of Central Asia and the Arab States of the Gulf and today's huge potential for mutually beneficial co-operation.
Based on the positive experience, the head of our state suggested expanding practical cooperation between the two regions in such areas as politics, technology and investment, green economy, strengthening trade and transport interconnectivity, ecology and climate change, tourism, culture and education. The initiatives put forward by the President of Uzbekistan were supported by all participating countries.