Tashkent, Republic of Uzbekistan, 4 June 2026
Distinguished participants,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great honor to address the opening of the Second Meeting of the Termez Dialogue on Connectivity between Central and South Asia.
At the outset, I would like to express sincere appreciation to the Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Mr. Eldor Aripov for the decision to conduct jointly with CICA the Plenary Session on “Political Dialogue and Economic Connectivity as Foundations for Sustainable Development in the CICA Region”. Special gratitude to Azerbaijani Chairmanship, Kazakhstan and Türkiye for their extended support.
The Termez Dialogue is a timely and valuable initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev. It reflects a clear understanding that the future of Central and South Asia will depend increasingly on the ability of our countries to transform geography into trust, confidence into connectivity, connectivity into cooperation, and cooperation into shared prosperity.
This is also the essence of today’s CICA Plenary Session.
We are meeting at a time when global supply chains are undergoing profound change. Geopolitical tensions, geoeconomical fragmentation, unilateral protectionist measures, climate pressures and digital transformation are reshaping traditional patterns of international trade and development. These trends are particularly relevant for the vast CICA region, where transport routes, energy corridors, financial flows and digital networks connect many of the world’s most dynamic economies.
In such circumstances, connectivity is no longer only a technical infrastructure or economic matter. It is a strategic requirement for resilience, stability and sustainable development.
For CICA, connectivity is also a confidence building measure.
CICA brings together 28 Member States across Asia. It serves as an intergovernmental platform for dialogue, cooperation and practical interaction among countries with different geographic positions, economic models and development priorities. This diversity is our strength. It enables CICA to act as a bridge between subregions, institutions and sectors.
Distinguished participants,
The Azerbaijani Chairmanship of CICA has placed connectivity at the center of its vision under the motto “Stronger CICA: Connectivity, Digitalization and Sustainable Growth in Asia.”
This vision is being translated into practical initiatives in transport, logistics, finance, digitalization and sustainable infrastructure.
Azerbaijan, as coordinator of the CICA confidence building measures in the priority area “Development of Secure and Effective Systems of Transportation Corridors,” has been actively promoting cooperation aimed at improving transport connectivity, strengthening logistics networks and advancing digital solutions for more efficient and secure movement of goods across the continent.
Within this framework, the proposed CICA mechanism to promote the sustainable connectivity is one of the most important elements of our forward-looking agenda. That could serve as a practical platform to strengthen transport and transit links, support resilient supply chains, promote modern infrastructure, advance digital logistics and encourage more harmonized regulatory approaches among CICA Member States.
Such a mechanism is particularly relevant for Central and South Asia.
These two regions are complementary in many ways. They have growing populations, expanding markets, significant energy and resource potential, and increasing demand for reliable transport and trade routes. At the same time, the full potential of their economic interaction remains underutilized.
This is where CICA can add value as a pan-Asian platform based on dialogue, inclusiveness and consensus.
Distinguished participants,
CICA’s work on sustainable connectivity is already developing across several practical directions.
CICA is supporting the development of secure, resilient and efficient transport corridors. CICA also promotes the digitalization of transport corridors. In this regard, the Conference on Implementation of Knowledge Sharing on Digitalization of Transport Corridors among CICA Member States, held in December 2025, was an important contribution to the exchange of practical experience among Member States.
Another important upcoming initiative under the Azerbaijani Chairmanship will be the CICA Conference of Heads of Ports, planned to be held on 9 and 10 September 2026 in Baku which will provide a dedicated platform for dialogue on port operations, maritime transport, sea trade, logistics and multimodal connectivity, linking sea routes with dry ports, logistic hubs of industrial zones.
I would like to encourage CICA Member States and relevant institutions to participate actively in the Conference in Baku.
Distinguished participants,
Connectivity also requires finance. Infrastructure, logistics modernization, digital platforms, green transport and cross-border projects cannot advance without investment, financial innovation and stronger cooperation among financial institutions.
This is why the newly established CICA Finance Summit is closely linked to the subject of our Plenary Session. As an advisory body of CICA, the Finance Summit is designed to promote cooperation among Member States in the financial sector, support financial stability, sustainable economic development and prosperity in the CICA region.
The Astana International Financial Centre, as Chair of the CICA Finance Summit, is actively engaged in preparations for the inaugural meeting of the Summit, planned for September 2026 in Astana. The emerging concept of the meeting, drawing on the heritage of the Silk Road, caravan routes and Central Asia’s historical role as a space of exchange, growth and prosperity, is closely connected to today’s discussion.
Distinguished participants,
The Termez Dialogue reminds us that geography can be both a challenge and an opportunity. For landlocked countries, connectivity means access to markets. For transit countries, it means growth. For coastal countries, it means stronger links with continental partners. For all countries, it means deeper cooperation and greater resilience.
The ancient Silk Road connected peoples, markets, cultures and ideas. Today, we need a modern Silk Road of sustainable connectivity, digital cooperation, financial innovation and shared development.
In this sense, the Termez Dialogue, the Conference of Heads of Ports and the CICA Finance Summit are not separate initiatives. They are parts of one broader vision, reflecting CICA’s transition from dialogue alone to dialogue supported by practical platforms and implementation-oriented cooperation.
CICA stands ready to work with Member States, partner organizations, financial institutions and the private sector to advance this agenda. I am confident that the discussions here will contribute to practical steps for connecting Central and South Asia more effectively and strengthening sustainable development across the wider CICA region.
Allow me once again to express appreciation to the Republic of Uzbekistan for hosting this important meeting and to all participants for their commitment to dialogue and cooperation.
I wish the Second Meeting of the Termez Dialogue every success.
Thank you for your attention.
