Ecology, global instability, and the need for UN reform dominated the speeches of all five Central Asian presidents at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly. Presenting a united front while emphasizing national priorities, the leaders made clear that Central Asia intends to play a pivotal role in shaping the global future.

UN Reform

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was the first among the CIS leaders to address the assembly, speaking of a growing crisis of trust in multilateral institutions and calling for sweeping reforms. Tokayev emphasized the need to expand the UN Security Council, arguing that major powers from Asia, Africa, and Latin America must receive rotational representation, and that the influence of middle powers should be strengthened.

“We need to create a new group of like-minded states that will professionally and decisively advance concrete proposals for reforming the UN so that it better responds to today’s challenges and tomorrow’s tasks,” he said, proposing Kazakhstan as a platform for these discussions.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev echoed these concerns, highlighting the weakening of international institutions and the proliferation of global conflicts. He endorsed UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ UN-80 initiative and voiced support for the Pact for the Future, which sets out commitments to strengthen multilateral cooperation and address global challenges through 2045, the UN’s centenary. Mirziyoyev also advocated for an expanded Security Council to better represent developing countries.

In his address, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov called for a more just and representative Security Council, underscoring Africa’s right to greater participation. He also announced Kyrgyzstan’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for 2027-2028, noting that his country has never before held such a position.

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon warned of growing instability, uncertainty, and complexity in world affairs. Rahmon stressed the UN’s role as a platform for dialogue and cooperation and called for equal partnerships between large and small states to restore adherence to international law.

Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov argued that the current global situation requires a “decisive shift toward coordinated interaction among states and international organizations to maintain peace and security.” He proposed declaring 2028 the Year of International Law to strengthen the legal foundations of global cooperation.

Ecology and Finance

On environmental issues, the Central Asian leaders focused on national and regional concerns. Tokayev addressed the ongoing shallowing of the Caspian Sea, while both he and Mirziyoyev raised the issue of the Aral Sea crisis, often described as “one of the world’s worst environmental disasters.” Rahmon highlighted the rapid disappearance of glaciers, a point supported by Japarov, given the critical dependence of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan on mountain water resources. Berdimuhamedov, meanwhile, proposed establishing a regional center for combating desertification in Central Asia. Other initiatives included the proposed Caspian Environmental Forum in 2026 and continued advancement of the Caspian Environmental Initiative, originally introduced by Ashgabat.

Financial concerns were also prominent. Rahmon called for reforms to international financial mechanisms, citing the continued suffering of vulnerable developing countries from the impacts of economic crises, poverty, disease, natural disasters, and food insecurity.

Japarov criticized the impact of unilateral sanctions on Kyrgyzstan’s financial system and accused Western nations of hypocrisy. “You demand that we stop cooperating with Russia, while you yourselves are actively developing trade and economic ties with it,” he said.

Japarov also demanded the return of Afghanistan’s frozen assets, arguing that withholding financial aid is unacceptable. More than $9 billion is held by Western nations, he claimed, and should be released to support Afghanistan’s reconstruction, banking sector, and agricultural development. “You use these funds and profit from them,” Japarov said, highlighting that over 15 million Afghans face hunger, while 24 million require humanitarian aid.

Major Deals

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also drew the attention of U.S. President Donald Trump. During a meeting with Mirziyoyev, Trump praised a reported $105 billion deal for the purchase of American goods, including 22 Boeing aircraft. “They have a lot of money. A lot of oil and a lot of money,” Trump remarked.

Trump had earlier spoken by phone with Tokayev in a call facilitated by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Latnik. “I just concluded a wonderful call with the Highly Respected President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Kemeluly Tokayev. They have signed the largest Railroad Equipment Purchase in History, $4 Billion Dollars’ Worth of United States Locomotives and Rail Equipment,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Currently struggling to meet global demand, Boeing has yet to deliver Kazakhstan’s long-awaited Dreamliner aircraft.

According to a statement issued by the Kazakh president’s press service, the $4.2 billion agreement with U.S. company Wabtec involves the production of 300 freight locomotives with upgraded specifications, along with long-term servicing within Kazakhstan.

“Wabtec, a recognized global leader in transport technologies, is one of the key partners in modernizing Kazakhstan’s railway industry. Since 2009, the Wabtec Kazakhstan locomotive assembly plant has been operating successfully in Astana. During this period, the company has invested over $230 million. The plant has produced more than 600 locomotives for Kazakhstan Temir Zholy and for export, achieving a localization level of 45%. In July 2024, Wabtec opened a Technology and Engineering Center in Kazakhstan, serving as a platform for innovation and workforce training,” the Akorda press release stated.

The locomotive deal underscores Kazakhstan’s growing role as a hub for localized U.S. technology and transport innovation. By expanding assembly and engineering capacity in Astana, Wabtec is embedding long-term cooperation into Kazakhstan’s industrial base. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan’s Boeing purchase highlights the region’s rising demand for modern aviation infrastructure. Taken together, these agreements signal a deepening U.S. economic footprint in Central Asia, rooted in high-value sectors such as transport and aviation.

A Collective Voice

From UN reform to ecology and major economic deals, Central Asia’s leaders used the UNGA-80 platform to project a stronger regional stance on global challenges. Their calls for reform, combined with multibillion-dollar agreements, underscored the region’s ambition to move beyond balancing external powers toward shaping the international agenda. In doing so, they signaled that Central Asia is seeking recognition, not as a peripheral actor, but as an emerging force in global governance.