Khalid Taimur Akram- Executive Director, Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future (PRCCSF).- 26-052024

Uzbekistan’s role has been significant in the region, as evident in the policies of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s leadership.

The country is positioning itself as a middle power and a key balancer in the region. The visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 26–27 will boost Uzbekistan’s strategic importance and its efforts to bolster bilateral cooperation with Russia, especially in trade and economic relations.

This visit is part of a broader agenda to strengthen strategic partnerships, reflecting Uzbekistan’s leading position in the region.

After being reelected as the president of Russia, President Putin made his first foreign visit to China. His second diplomatic visit is to Uzbekistan, showing Uzbekistan’s increasing geostrategic significance and value in the region.

 Uzbekistan is key to emphasising the importance of strategic alliances and strengthening bilateral ties aimed at fostering regional connectivity and economic cooperation. Uzbekistan has enhanced its role as a mediator and facilitator of regional cooperation and connectivity.

One of the most significant aspects of Uzbekistan’s regional policy is its relationship with Afghanistan. Uzbekistan has taken on a pivotal role in advocating for the rights and welfare of Afghans on both regional and global stages.

The country has always been consistently called for peace and stability in Afghanistan for regional peace and stability.

Proactive diplomacy is evident in Uzbekistan’s relationships with key regional players as well as with the West, as the country maintains amicable relations with all its countries and strives to act as a bridge between the Eurasian region and the West.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s vision emphasizes the importance of economic diversification and regional integration.

His policies are dedicated to strengthening and developing friendly relations with neighbouring states, focusing on trade, economic, and investment partnerships.

 Uzbekistan has hosted international events and conferences and established itself as a hub for dialogue and cooperation, further enhancing its regional integration efforts, as evident in its role in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) for creating robust mechanisms for technological advancement, regional cooperation, economic expansion, trade and commerce, and academic excellence, and opening new avenues for progress and prosperity.

Uzbekistan can emerge as a balancing force between the West and the Eurasian region.