Uzbekistan International Affairs - The Times Of Central Asia

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AQABA Process

Uzbekistan Offers to Host Regional UN Counterterrorism Office at Astana Summit

Central Asian leaders and Jordan’s King Abdullah II met on November 6 to discuss how terrorist groups could use artificial intelligence to recruit members, coordinate their activities, and spread propaganda. At the Aqaba Process summit, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev offered to host a Central Asian office of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism. The proposed office would help Central Asian countries set up channels for reporting terrorist content and detect terrorist financing, according to the Uzbek presidential press service. Co-hosted by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Abdullah II, it is the first time Central Asia has hosted the Aqaba Process. Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, and representatives of international organizations also attended. Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev represented Kyrgyzstan, while Parliamentary Speaker Sahiba Gafarova represented Azerbaijan. [caption id="attachment_60177" align="aligncenter" width="1900"] The Aqaba Process summit in Astana on November 6, 2026. Image: Uzbek presidential press service.[/caption] From Social Media to Artificial Intelligence King Abdullah launched the Aqaba Process in 2015, which takes its name from the Red Sea city of Aqaba where the first meetings were held. The initiative was originally designed to coordinate international efforts against terrorism and violent extremism, particularly in the Middle East. Unlike international organizations with permanent membership, it brings participants together to discuss specific threats and does not adopt binding decisions. Over the past decade, the agenda has changed considerably. As early as 2019, a meeting in the United States addressed the use of the internet and social media by terrorist organizations. Representatives of technology companies were brought into the discussions, as countering extremist propaganda increasingly required cooperation with digital platform operators. In February 2026, Aqaba Process participants met at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the UK to discuss security threats posed by drones and how to regulate their use. Government representatives, experts, and technology companies took part in the discussions. In June, a meeting in New York focused in part on extremist recruitment through online games. Representatives of international organizations, the gaming industry, and civil society joined the discussions. In Astana, participants turned their attention to generative artificial intelligence. Modern AI models can produce text, images, and videos in minutes, translate messages into different languages, and imitate real people's voices. For terrorist organizations, such tools could make it easier to produce propaganda and reach audiences beyond traditional linguistic and geographic boundaries. Fabricated videos and audio recordings presented as statements by politicians, religious leaders, or security officials pose a particular danger. AI can also automate conversations and tailor messages to individual interests, making recruitment attempts on social media and messaging platforms more difficult to detect. In May 2024, three Spanish tourists were among those killed in an attack in Afghanistan’s Bamyan province. Days later, a group calling itself Khurasan TV circulated a video featuring an AI-generated newsreader in a simulated newsroom. A synthetic voice read out Islamic State Khorasan Province’s claim of responsibility in Pashto. Researchers at Afghan Witness traced at least eight such videos to Khurasan TV, which they said appeared to...

U.S.-Central Asia Engagement

U.S. Midterms Hand Democrats a Central Asia Agenda They Helped Build

Democrats have won control of Congress in the November 3 midterms, ending President Donald Trump’s Republican majority. But they inherit a Central Asia agenda their party helped build, backed by substantial orders for American manufacturers. Uzbekistan Airways’ new Boeing deliveries are due to begin in 2031, while Kazakhstan’s $4.2 billion Wabtec agreement covers a decade. For American businesses, the region’s importance is already measured in export orders that outlast a congressional majority. American Jobs Behind the Diplomacy Kazakhstan signed its Wabtec agreement in September 2025. The U.S. Commerce Department said the Pennsylvania-based manufacturer would supply 300 heavy-haul locomotive kits over the next decade. It estimated that the deal would support more than 11,000 American jobs. Uzbekistan Airways initially ordered 14 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, with options for eight more. The Commerce Department valued that package at approximately $8.5 billion. The airline subsequently exercised the options, bringing its firm order to 22 aircraft. Those purchases give Astana and Tashkent a direct argument in Washington: engaging with them brings business to American factories. The relationship also gives U.S. manufacturers a reason to support continued engagement, whichever party controls congressional committees. From Biden to Trump The minerals agenda has already survived a change of president. The Biden administration signed a critical minerals cooperation memorandum with Uzbekistan in September 2024, aimed at diversifying global supplies. Under Trump, critical minerals and digital infrastructure remained on the agenda at the October 19 C5+1 meeting in Samarkand. The United States and the five Central Asian republics also backed increased trade through the Trans-Caspian route and closer links between their business communities. Congressional support crosses the same party divide. In October, Democratic Senator Chris Coons and Republican Senator Tim Sheehy introduced legislation to strengthen critical mineral supply chains through mining and processing partnerships with U.S. allies. A bipartisan artificial intelligence (AI) bill, reintroduced in February, similarly aims to strengthen American research and testing capacity. Kazakhstan’s June 2026 agreements with Firebird, a U.S. technology company, cover proposed AI infrastructure and advanced computing capacity. Central Asia offers customers for American technology as well as potential sources of strategic minerals. Both fit priorities Democrats have backed alongside Republicans. The incoming majority has reasons of its own to maintain that engagement. Congress’s Unfinished Business The Democratic majority will take office in January 2027, gaining control of committees and greater influence over legislation and oversight. Central Asian governments will also lose two established advocates. Republican Steve Daines and Democrat Gary Peters, who founded the Senate Central Asia Caucus in 2024, are both retiring that month. Their successors will inherit an unfinished trade agenda. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan remain subject to the Cold War-era Jackson-Vanik Amendment, despite years of calls to remove its trade restrictions. Republican and Democratic lawmakers introduced repeal legislation in November 2025. While American manufacturers are booking Central Asian business into the 2030s, Congress is still debating whether to lift trade restrictions dating from 1974. At a September 2026 House hearing, lawmakers from both parties heard arguments for removing the restrictions. The discussion...

Joint Investment Projects

Uzbekistan’s Mirziyoyev Proposes 100 Joint Projects for Turkic States

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has proposed a program for 100 joint investment and industrial projects among members of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). Speaking at the OTS summit in Ankara on October 30, Mirziyoyev said the “Turkic World – 100” program would support industrial cooperation and help companies from OTS countries compete in international markets. The president proposed focusing on processing rare and strategic minerals, manufacturing renewable energy equipment, and producing goods with higher added value. He suggested financing the program through the Turkic Investment Fund and international financial institutions. To protect business interests, Mirziyoyev proposed a multilateral treaty on mutual legal assistance in commercial matters that would allow court decisions to be recognized and enforced across member countries. He also proposed a digital platform for exchanging legal documents. In transportation, he called for a network of logistics hubs managed jointly by OTS countries, with a focus on the Middle Corridor trade route. Mirziyoyev also called for an agreement that would expand opportunities to travel using national identity cards instead of passports and simplify border-crossing procedures and rules governing stays in other member countries. To attract tourists, he proposed establishing a Turkic Tourism Alliance to promote the region’s historic cities, natural attractions, and cultural heritage. Uzbekistan is prepared to offer 200 scholarships a year to students from other Turkic states through its New Uzbekistan Scholarship program. Mirziyoyev thanked participants for supporting Uzbekistan’s proposal to designate 2027 the OTS Year of Nature Protection. He called for regular consultations on international and regional issues to coordinate members’ positions and promote their shared interests. For engagement with third countries, he proposed an “OTS Plus” format, starting with meetings of ministers responsible for specific sectors. Alisher Qodirov, leader of the Milliy Tiklanish (National Revival) Democratic Party, wrote on Telegram that cooperation among Turkic countries should rest on shared history and cultural ties rather than political or economic interests alone. He argued that alliances based solely on economic benefits could weaken as national interests change. Uzbek diplomat Mirvokhid Azimov was appointed OTS secretary-general at the October 30 summit. He became the first representative of Uzbekistan to hold the position, succeeding Kyrgyz diplomat Kubanychbek Omuraliev. Participants also agreed to hold the next summit in Uzbekistan in 2027.

Organization of Turkic States (OTS)

Uzbek Diplomat Mirvokhid Azimov Appointed Secretary General of Organization of Turkic States

Uzbek diplomat Mirvokhid Azimov has been appointed Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), becoming the first representative of Uzbekistan to hold the position. The decision was made on October 30 during the organization's 13th summit in Ankara, Türkiye. Member-state leaders signed the formal appointment decision. Azimov succeeds Kyrgyz diplomat Kubanychbek Omuraliev, who had held the position since November 2022. Azimov previously served as Deputy Secretary General of the OTS from 2020 until May 2026, when Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev appointed him Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. Earlier in his diplomatic career, Azimov headed Uzbekistan's foreign ministry treaty and legal department and spent four years working at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Secretariat in Beijing. The OTS was established in 2009 as the Turkic Council, with Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Türkiye as its founding members. Uzbekistan joined in 2019. Azimov becomes the organization's fifth Secretary General. His four predecessors represented each of the other member countries: Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. As Secretary General, Azimov will lead the Istanbul-based secretariat, which coordinates the organization's activities and supports the implementation of decisions taken by member governments. The Ankara summit also saw Türkiye assume the organization's rotating chairmanship from Azerbaijan. Member states agreed to hold the next summit in Uzbekistan in 2027.

Organization of Turkic States (OTS)

Tokayev Proposes Russian Role in OTS as Aliyev Skips Ankara Summit

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has proposed inviting Russia to cooperate with the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) or granting it observer status. He made the proposal on October 30 at the summit in Ankara, where Türkiye assumed the organization's rotating chairmanship from Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev did not attend, despite a personal invitation from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The participants adopted the Ankara Declaration and appointed Uzbekistan's Mirvokhid Azimov as the new OTS secretary-general. Azerbaijan was represented by Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. Has Russia Expressed Interest in the OTS? Tokayev proposed two options for Russia's participation: cooperation through the "OTS+" format or observer status. "To enhance the standing of our Organization, it would be a right and fair decision to respond positively to Russia's intention and invite it to join this format or participate in OTS activities as an observer," the Kazakh president said. Tokayev referred to Moscow's intentions, although Russia itself has made no public announcement of plans to participate in the OTS. The Kazakh president justified the initiative by citing Russia's historical ties with Turkic peoples, its Turkic-speaking population, and the "Altai – Cradle of Turkic Civilization" project. The OTS comprises Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. Turkmenistan participates as an observer. Russia is not a member, but its population includes Tatars, Bashkirs, Yakuts, and other Turkic peoples. The proposed arrangements differ. OTS+ provides a framework for cooperation with external partners, while observer status allows more regular participation in the organization's activities without the decision-making rights of full members. In the same speech, Tokayev stressed once again that the OTS should not become a military alliance. Among its members, Türkiye belongs to NATO, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), and Uzbekistan maintains a policy of nonparticipation in military blocs. Aliyev's Absence: Scheduling Conflict or Political Signal? Erdoğan had invited Aliyev to the summit during a telephone conversation on October 21. The Azerbaijani president, however, remained in Baku. Citing sources, an Azerbaijani news agency report attributed his absence to a previously scheduled appearance at an awards ceremony for finalists in an international FIFA U-15 football tournament. Public disagreements have emerged between the two allies in recent months. In Türkiye, critics have raised objections to restrictions on religious clothing in Azerbaijani schools. Baku regarded the criticism as interference in its domestic affairs and barred more than 30 Turkish citizens from entering the country. Another source of disagreement is Azerbaijan's relationship with Israel. Ankara strongly criticizes the Israeli government's actions, while Baku continues to cooperate with Israel in the energy and defense sectors. Azerbaijani political analyst Ilgar Velizade told Daily Europe Online that Turkish efforts to ease tensions had not resolved the disagreements. He cited the dismissal of Erdoğan adviser Oktay Saral following remarks critical of Azerbaijan. In Velizade's assessment, Baku may have regarded the move as a temporary concession ahead of the summit. The analyst also emphasized that Azerbaijan does not intend to change its relationship with Israel because of Türkiye's position....

OTS Summit

OTS Summit in Ankara: Türkiye Looks to Strengthen Its Position as Central Asia Competes for Transit Routes

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev arrived in Ankara on October 28, the day he delivered his annual State of the Nation Address, in which he announced plans to expand transport routes between China and Europe. On October 30, he will attend the 13th summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). Turkey is preparing to take over the organization's chairmanship from Azerbaijan, and Central Asian countries are seeking to accelerate freight transportation across the Caspian Sea. Behind the shared rhetoric of Turkic unity lie specific economic interests. Kazakhstan is building railways and expanding its capacity to handle transit cargo from China. Azerbaijan is developing Caspian ports and transport infrastructure in the South Caucasus. Turkey wants to attract more freight moving between China and Europe through Central Asia, increasing its role as a transit hub. A unified route looks much simpler on a political map than it does in the daily operations of transport companies. Between China and Europe, cargo crosses several borders, is transferred from trains to ships and back, undergoes customs clearance, and is subject to tariffs set by different operators. Interest in alternative Eurasian transport routes has grown since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, but the competition extends beyond freight. Ankara is looking to strengthen its political presence in Central Asia, where Russia and China retain considerable influence. Summit events begin on October 29 with a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers, chaired by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The nation’s presidents will meet on the following day. Participants are expected to adopt the Ankara Declaration, discuss investment, energy, digitalization, security, and appoint a new OTS secretary-general. Tokayev and Kazakhstan's Route to Europe Tokayev's visit to Turkey follows directly after his State of the Nation Address, much of which focused on infrastructure, including plans to open the 272-kilometer Bakhty–Ayagoz railway in 2027. The line is expected to add 20 million metric tons of annual freight capacity between Kazakhstan and China. Tokayev also discussed construction of the Aral–Caspian highway. The project would establish a new transport connection between western and central Kazakhstan. According to government estimates, it could shorten certain freight routes between China and Europe by approximately 1,000 kilometers and reduce delivery times by up to three days. Both projects are part of a broader effort to increase Kazakhstan's revenue from international logistics. The country currently earns a substantial share of its transit revenue directly from freight transportation. Developing warehouses, terminals, processing facilities, and distribution centers could generate additional income. Turkey occupies an important position in this network. An overland branch of the Middle Corridor passes through its territory en route to European markets; the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway connects Azerbaijan to Turkey's rail network through Georgia. On the sidelines of the Ankara summit, Turkish business associations plan to discuss border crossing operations, transportation costs, and the development of the Middle Corridor. Transport geography, however, does not fit neatly within the OTS's political boundaries. Georgia, through which the railway connecting Azerbaijan and Turkey passes, is not a member...