Central Asia Emerges as a Key Actor in the New Polycentric World Order
The profound transformation of the global system and the shift of business activity toward Asia have elevated Central Asia to the status of an independent center of gravity and a crucial logistical hub in Eurasia. Akramjon Nematov, First Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (ISRS), presented a fundamental analysis of this dynamic during the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club. These expert assessments are particularly relevant on the eve of the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and Azerbaijan, scheduled for October 8 in the "Avaza" National Tourist Zone.
According to the ISRS representative, a key outcome of recent years is that the region has definitively moved past the era when its development was defined by unresolved border issues and a lack of mutual trust. Today, Central Asia demonstrates a fundamentally new model of interaction: past tensions have given way to joint development, expanded economic cooperation, and robust internal connectivity.
As Akramjon Nematov emphasized, the era when the region was primarily associated with risks is a thing of the past; in its place, a space of shared long-term interests has emerged.
The ISRS analysis pays particular attention to the region’s transformed geoeconomic status. Its geographic location—situated at the crossroads of routes connecting East and South Asia, Europe, Russia, the Caucasus, and the Middle East—is now reinforced by internal consolidation.
This enables government bodies and the business community to confidently serve as a key pillar of Eurasia, facilitating not only transport corridors and trade flows but also investment, energy, and humanitarian ties.
In the expert’s view, the practical significance of this experience extends far beyond the region itself. In the emerging polycentric world, a key role will be played not only by major powers but also by stable regional entities capable of independently defining priorities, reaching internal compromises, and establishing pragmatic external ties.
Central Asia is currently demonstrating precisely this model—one based not on confrontation with external power centers, but on transforming shared interests into concrete, constructive projects.
The upcoming forum in Avaza is a natural continuation of this internal dynamic, affirming the region’s countries' ability to make joint decisions amidst global turbulence.
