Tashkent Hosts High-Level Roundtable on Shanghai Cooperation Organization's Future and Uzbekistan's Vision

A high‑level roundtable titled “The SCO in Transformation: Uzbekistan’s Initiatives and New Horizons” has been convened at the Sputnik Multimedia Press Center in Tashkent, bringing together leading analysts and experts from Uzbekistan and Russia.

The event reviewed the outcomes of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit held in China, which participants said injected new momentum into the organization, elevated its political significance, and created avenues for deeper strategic alignment between Russia and Uzbekistan, The Caspian Post informs via Uzbek media.

Stanislav Pritchin, head of the Central Asia Sector at the E.M. Primakov Institute (IMEMO) and member of the Russian International Affairs Council, voiced Russia’s full backing of Uzbekistan’s proposals in investment, technology, and innovation. He also underscored rising global interest in Central Asia’s rich reserves of rare and strategic metals.

A significant portion of the discussion centered on energy collaboration. Experts pointed to a headline announcement made during World Atomic Week in Moscow: Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, plans to build two large and two small nuclear power plants in Uzbekistan by 2035. Observers called the development strategically important, with implications for both nations’ energy security and geopolitical positioning.

Speaking for the International Institute for Central Asia, Daniyar Kurbanov emphasized the significance of the Tianjin Declaration, which formally designates Central Asia as the SCO’s core region. He also drew attention to key documents adopted during the summit, notably the SCO Development Strategy through 2035 and the Energy Cooperation Roadmap through 2030.

The roundtable also spotlighted the evolving Central Asia-Russia cooperation format, which has grown to encompass heads-of-state summits. The second such summit is slated for October in Dushanbe, and participants view it as a vital step toward reinforcing regional unity and strategic development across member states.