On November 16, the Seventh Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

The President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Leader of the Nation, Honorable Emomali Rahmon, attended and delivered a speech at the meeting.

The meeting discussed a wide range of topical issues of relations among the countries of the region, prospects for expanding cooperation in ensuring sustainable economic development, strengthening the foundation of friendly and good-neighborly relations, as well as issues of further development of the cultural and humanitarian space.

In his speech, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, first of all, expressed gratitude to the leader of the host country for the warm welcome and organization of the meeting at a high level.

Also, the Head of our state, Emomali Rahmon, congratulated Ilham Aliyev on the accession of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia.

The President of our country, Emomali Rahmon, reflected on the role and position of the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia, emphasizing that its platform confidently strengthens its position as an important participant in international and regional processes.

“At the same time, interstate relations are strengthening, and we are actively developing our contacts with foreign partners,” — said Emomali Rahmon in this regard.

The Head of our state assessed the results achieved in the past as a favorable basis for expanding a range of beneficial cooperation.

It was stated that Tajikistan is in favor of the further deepening of political dialogue and regional integration within this framework.

Emomali Rahmon recalled the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborliness and Cooperation for the Development of Central Asia, stating that this document clearly confirms the joint commitment of the parties to the continuous advancement of the agenda, which is based on the principles of equal partnership, mutual respect, and trust.

Our Head of State, Emomali Rahmon, stated that today Central Asia has become a space for fruitful diplomatic dialogue, constructive initiatives, and the formation of new cooperative relations.

The President of our country, Emomali Rahmon, pointed out that our region is a center with significant potential for the development of trade, transit, energy, science, and tourism.

In the opinion of Emomali Rahmon, the agreements reached, reflected in the Concept for the Development of Regional Cooperation “Central Asia-2040”, provide a solid foundation for achieving these goals.

Regarding the importance of adopting the Concept for Ensuring Regional Security, Stability and Sustainable Development in Central Asia, it was said that this document provides broad opportunities for ensuring security and stability, strengthening economic ties and implementing joint initiatives aimed at the comprehensive development of our region.

It was also stated that this constructive trend will allow us to effectively use the potential of our region for the benefit of future generations.

The President of our country, Emomali Rahmon, called economic development a stable basis for the future and considered it necessary to expand the regional economy through cooperation and innovation.

In his speech, Emomali Rahmon emphasized that joint constructive initiatives are necessary to develop production integration, develop a regional mechanism for industrial cooperation, expand cooperation in the energy sector, modernize railway corridors, expand air and mixed transport.

In this regard, Emomali Rahmon proposed the formation of a single transport and logistics space for Central Asia.

It was considered necessary to effectively use the opportunities of free economic zones in the countries of the region.

Given the growing importance of the digital economy and the need to bolster regional cooperation in this area, the Head of our state, Emomali Rahmon, proposed the establishment of a Regional Center for Artificial Intelligence in Dushanbe. According to the Head of our state, the task of this center will be to develop research programs on the use of artificial intelligence in key areas of cooperation.

Taking this opportunity, His Excellency Emomali Rahmon expressed his gratitude for Tajikistan’s support at the UN General Assembly for the adoption of a special resolution entitled “The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Creating New Opportunities for Sustainable Development in Central Asia.”

In addition, it was noted that it would be appropriate to establish a single digital platform for the development of e-commerce, which has become a driving force in the economy today.

It was emphasized that the implementation of this initiative will not only strengthen economic integration, but also contribute to the growth of trade activity and diversification of trade flows in the region.

The President of our country, Emomali Rahmon, called maintaining stable regional security one of the main priorities of cooperation, as the threats of terrorism, extremism, extremist ideology, cybercrime, and drug trafficking remain a concern.

In this connection, it was proposed to pay special attention to the issue of increasing the capacity of relevant structures and departments.

The systematic development of cooperation in the field of professional training of personnel and experts for the security sector was called one of the important elements of adequate resistance to new threats.

The Head of our state, Emomali Rahmon, stated that, given the increase in cyber threats, it is necessary to strengthen joint measures using advanced technologies.

During his speech, the President of our country, Emomali Rahmon, also put forward a number of proposals to enrich the processes of developing cooperation in the fields of science, education, and culture with new content.

Taking into account the need to develop cooperation in this area, Honorable Emomali Rahmon proposed to establish an International Center for Innovation and Education in Central Asia.

Our Head of State, Honorable Emomali Rahmon, recalled the great opportunities for strengthening good neighborly relations and expanding cooperation in the fields of tourism and sports, stressing that we should make extensive use of the rich cultural and historical heritage to enhance the prestige and authority of the region.

The environmental issue was named as one of the important areas of cooperation, since climate change, melting glaciers, and prolonged droughts directly affect the food security of our countries.

In conclusion, Honorable Emomali Rahmon emphasized that the future prosperity of Central Asia depends on close cooperation, which is primarily aimed at improving the quality of life of citizens.

Based on the results of the Seventh Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia, a Joint Statement and other important documents were signed by the Heads of State.

At the end of the meeting, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, His Excellency Shavkat Mirziyoyev, on behalf of the Heads of State of Central Asia and Azerbaijan, sincerely congratulated our Head of State, His Excellency Emomali Rahmon, on the Day of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan.