In 2024, Astana became the epicenter of a series of pivotal meetings, each of which marked a significant “first” in regional diplomacy. On August 9, Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev hosted the current leaders of the other four Central Asian countries: Kyrgyzstan's President Sadyr Japarov, Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmenistan's President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, and Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Following the precedent established at the fifth consultation meeting in Dushanbe in September 2023, Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and Director of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia Kakha Imnadze also attended the meeting in Astana.
At the latest consultative meeting, a joint statement by the leaders of the Central Asian countries was issued and the Concept for the development of regional cooperation “Central Asia 2040”, a Roadmap for the development of regional cooperation for 2025-2027 and an Action Plan for the development of industrial cooperation among the Central Asian countries for 2025-2027 were signed.
Contrary to the hopes of the Kazakh leadership, no progress was made at the Astana summit regarding the signing of an agreement between Tajikistan and Turkmenistan on friendship, good neighborliness and cooperation for the development of Central Asia in the 21st century. This reluctance remains despite significant progress in the Kyrgyz-Tajikistan border negotiations for 2024. Tajikistan's failure to recognize the friendship agreement is linked to its border issue with Kyrgyzstan.
Meanwhile, efforts to deepen regional connectivity seem to show positive results. For example, trade between Central Asian countries has been on the rise since 2018, doubling from $5.7 billion to $11 billion over the past six years. Countries in the region are trying to link transport capacities and develop energy infrastructure. This was evident at the First Central Asian Energy Ministers' Meeting and the Second Central Asian Transport Ministers' Meeting, held on August 6 and 8, respectively, ahead of the Sixth Consultative Summit. These meetings resulted in the conclusion of the Joint Statement on the Results of the First Central Asian Energy Ministers' Meeting, the Memorandum of Understanding on the Development of Transport and Logistics Centers in the Central Asian Countries, and the Astana Statement of the Second Central Asian Transport Ministers' Meeting. The last two documents are seen as a logical continuation of the agreement on strengthening land transport relations in Central Asia, signed at the Dushanbe Summit in 2023.
While broader multilateral relations tend to get the most attention, bilateral relations in Central Asia are proving to be the true engine of development in the region. Through a web of bilateral treaties, Kazakhstan is not only deepening ties with its neighbors but also laying the foundations for a more cohesive regional integration. Alliances have been established with Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and a strategic partnership with Turkmenistan continues to grow.
In this context, the bilateral meetings between the presidents of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan held in Astana on August 7 and 8, just before the Central Asian Summit, are particularly instructive. Cooperation between these two relatively large regional powers is not merely symbolic, but fundamental. Without their joint efforts, the vision of a unified Central Asia is unlikely to become a reality.
A milestone in this cooperation was the first meeting of the Supreme Inter-State Councils of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, held in Astana on August 8. This advanced integration mechanism highlights the leading role the two countries play in promoting regional integration. Their cooperation is reminiscent of the Franco-German partnership, which played a key role in European unification. In Central Asia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are poised to be driving forces in a similar regional project.
The rapid pace of interaction between Astana and Tashkent is noteworthy, with 15 meetings between the two countries' presidents in the past five years alone. The signing of a Treaty on Alliance Relations between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in December 2022, to be ratified by Uzbekistan in 2023 and Kazakhstan in 2024, is a testament to their commitment. Recognizing that other Central Asian states are taking a cautious stance toward integration, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are laying the groundwork for regional unity by establishing an Interstate Council and welcoming the adoption of the Strategic Partnership and Alliance Program for 2024-2034.
On the eve of the summit, President Tokayev delivered a paper entitled “Renaissance in Central Asia: Towards Sustainable Development and Prosperity.” The paper encapsulates the essence of the regional cooperation development concept “Central Asia 2040” adopted at the summit, emphasizing the key pillars of regional integration: a unified security and defense space, joint economic initiatives, transport projects, and cooperative approaches to water, energy, and food security. The paper also emphasizes the common identity of Central Asia, an elusive key element for this integration process to reach beyond the political elite and into the broader society.
Speaking at the summit, Mirziyoyev referred to Tokayev's paper as a detailed analysis of joint work. He complemented Tokayev's proposal by proposing the adoption of common security and transport concepts. This cooperation is timely and necessary, given that conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have disrupted traditional trade and transport routes, making them more vulnerable to sanctions.
Therefore, the stability and safety of transport in and around the region is becoming more and more important. In April 2024, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan agreed to organize cargo transport between China, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. During a recent meeting, the two presidents took part in a ceremony marking the arrival of a container train that traveled about 4,500 km from China's dry port of Xi'an to Tashkent via Kazakhstan in just five days. This transport route will bring new perspectives to other countries in the region.
An important outcome of these meetings was the establishment of the Council of Foreign Ministers, a body tasked with ensuring mutual support within international and regional structures, which will be an important step in strengthening bilateral and regional cooperation.
President Tokayev's declaration that “Central Asia's success means Kazakhstan's success” reflects an encouraging commitment to deeper regional integration — a principle that, if widely accepted among other Central Asian states, could be key to the long-term success of a unified Central Asia.
