Uzbekistan’s active role in international relations and the prospects for its increasingly robust and multifaceted cooperation with the European Union are receiving high praise from foreign experts. This assessment is well-founded. Today, the country is presenting itself on the global stage in a fundamentally new light, driven by a peace-oriented foreign policy, openness to the world, and pragmatic diplomacy.

During my diplomatic service in Uzbekistan from spring 2022 to autumn 2025, Finland’s bilateral engagement with Central Asia, aligned with European Union policy, focused on strengthening regional stability and prosperity, promoting effective governance and the rule of law, and deepening strategic cooperation.

One of the key instruments for advancing these objectives is the new Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and Uzbekistan. Once the agreement fully enters into force, it will establish a systematic framework for developing political dialogue, expanding economic cooperation, and implementing sectoral reforms.

The successful implementation of the agreement requires the formulation of clear and transparent objectives for 2026 and beyond. These include economic diversification, deeper integration into global markets, and stronger regional neighborhood ties, sustainable development, the transition to a green economy, digitalization, and enhanced cooperation in addressing security challenges such as cyber threats, terrorism, and drug trafficking.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) plays a pivotal role in addressing many of these priority areas at both regional and local levels. Finland’s chairmanship of the OSCE concluded at the end of 2025, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Helsinki Final Act. The act’s core principles - freedom, cooperation, and respect for human dignity - remain highly relevant in today’s international environment.

In addition, within the framework of the “Uzbekistan - 2030” Strategy and related policy concepts, official documents identify human dignity and honor as a fundamental principle guiding all priority areas of state policy.

Building on the outcomes of high-level visits to Uzbekistan, Finland has favorable opportunities to further develop bilateral cooperation in 2026. This partnership could also serve as an effective model for cooperation with other Central Asian countries.

Regional integration and competition for global attention

To consistently attract the attention of global decision-makers, cooperation in Central Asia must be clear, evidence-based, and demonstrate tangible results. In particular, stronger regional cooperation among Central Asian countries could prove decisive if it leads to the creation of a more integrated and seamless regional market.

Regional integration is already delivering certain results: logistics processes are improving, trade is becoming easier, and administrative cooperation is being strengthened through digital solutions. However, due in part to complex transport and connectivity systems, the region has not yet succeeded in attracting sufficient attention from international media. At the same time, well-established and long-term relations with Russia and China also require careful consideration. Current geopolitical developments have further increased the importance of regulatory compliance and risk management for countries closely linked to regional and global markets.

Key societal challenges persist. In particular, deeper structural reforms are needed to enhance competitiveness and innovation. Moreover, ensuring the full rule of law remains a pressing task to create equal opportunities for individuals and legal entities, especially in an economy that remains largely state-oriented.

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has put forward a number of important recommendations on improving public governance in Uzbekistan. These include further developing strategic planning, strengthening policy coordination, increasing transparency in regulatory processes, and implementing reforms aimed at ensuring gender equality. All of these measures support the achievement of the goals set out in the “Uzbekistan - 2030” Strategy.

Strengthening the principles of integrity and probity, promoting evidence-based policymaking, expanding citizen participation, and ensuring accountability are key prerequisites for building a more inclusive and prosperous society. Such reforms form the foundation for the effective implementation of economic and social policy and occupy a central place in Uzbekistan’s long-term development strategy.

Human Capital and Multifaceted Cooperation

Uzbekistan’s young and rapidly expanding workforce requires greater emphasis on developing critical thinking, initiative, creative problem-solving skills, foreign language proficiency, and professional competencies. Steady progress in the green and digital transitions is equally important, as both are closely linked to long-term economic stability. In this context, the contribution of Finland’s Honorary Consulate in Tashkent—drawing on strong experience in both business and academia—is particularly significant. Since 2022, an innovative platform aimed at developing human capital and promoting business cooperation has been taking shape in partnership with the International Nordic University. The platform aligns a commitment to excellence in science and education with practical business ties between Finland and Uzbekistan.

At the same time, Finland has been working to strengthen the rule of law in Central Asia in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme and the University of Helsinki’s Rule of Law Centre. Special attention is being paid to socially vulnerable groups, and cooperation has been established with the Ombudsman Institution under the Oliy Majlis.

There are also substantial opportunities for cooperation with the Business Ombudsman Institution, which focuses on supporting the private sector and promoting transparent business practices. Uzbekistan is steadily advancing toward the introduction of a “single window” (one-stop shop) model for business services, aimed at simplifying procedures and expanding opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Economic diversification remains a strategic priority. Alongside agriculture, natural gas, and raw materials, the development of high-value-added sectors such as information technology and artificial intelligence is essential for long-term economic stability. Finnish companies are well placed to propose projects aligned with this approach.

In 2025, during Finland’s chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen visited Tashkent, where she met with the country’s senior leadership as well as students and future foreign policy professionals at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy.

Finland’s Central Asia strategy is being implemented in line with the Government Programme, reflecting recognition of the region’s growing strategic and trade-economic importance. Within this framework, particular emphasis is placed on environmentally sustainable mining technologies and digitalization through the European Union’s Global Gateway connectivity initiatives.

European monitoring and reporting increasingly highlight Central Asia’s regional importance for the European Union, relations with major powers, Turkey’s role, regional cooperation, neighborhood policy, market development, the status of the EU–Uzbekistan Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, and new international initiatives.

Finnish stakeholders continue to actively participate in political consultations, seminars, and networking events related to Central Asia. The intensification of contacts complements existing government-level economic cooperation mechanisms. Development cooperation is being carried forward through targeted, inter-agency projects, with careful assessment of where limited human resources and capacities can deliver the greatest impact. European Union connectivity initiatives with Central Asia, including the TAIEX programme, are creating additional opportunities, particularly in water resource management and digitalization.

Public diplomacy and nation-branding efforts are focused on regional cooperation, education, climate and environmental issues, the rule of law, and equality. A conference of Central Asian honorary consuls held in Helsinki strengthened information exchange. Joint cultural initiatives, including a traveling photo exhibition featuring images taken during Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim’s travels across Central Asia, have further energized cooperation.

Notably, at the “Central Asia–European Union” summit held in Samarkand on 4 April 2025, leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation to the level of a strategic partnership, based on the 2019 EU–Central Asia Strategy and its 2023 implementation roadmap. The European Union announced a €12 billion Global Gateway investment package covering critical raw materials, water, energy, climate, transport, and digital connectivity. Central Asian countries are now awaiting concrete investments that support local value chains and climate resilience, including initiatives such as the Aral Sea “green belt,” to be implemented in line with strict selection criteria.

With the support of international financial institutions and strong institutional networks, political momentum is increasingly being translated into concrete and practical cooperation.

Shared Values and Stability

International relations today are increasingly shaped by instability, regional conflicts, and a growing erosion of mutual trust. In this context, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has consistently advanced a political vision focused on strengthening peace at both regional and global levels. His speeches at the United Nations and other major international forums reflect a diplomatic and humanitarian approach to global security and contribute to closer cooperation among Central Asian countries and beyond.

At the Fifth Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), held in June 2019, President Mirziyoyev put forward initiatives focused on education, youth participation, environmental challenges, and socio-economic development. He emphasized that access to quality education and the prevention of radicalization are essential prerequisites for stability and prosperity. Uzbekistan has also consistently supported peace efforts, including negotiations aimed at stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan, as well as initiatives to promote peace in the Middle East through dialogue and economic integration.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has repeatedly emphasized that peace is not merely the absence of war, but cooperation grounded in mutual trust between states and peoples. The Samarkand Initiative, support for the International Year of Peace and Trust, and proposals on pragmatic diplomacy clearly reflect this approach. By placing human dignity at the center of peace policy, the President closely links peace with justice and human rights. Initiatives aimed at increasing youth engagement, promoting interfaith dialogue, and expanding humanitarian cooperation further reinforce this human-centered vision.

Regional leaders and international observers are increasingly recognizing Uzbekistan’s constructive role in mediation and dialogue-building. Academic analyses describe President Mirziyoyev’s peace policy as an inclusive model that contributes to both regional and global stability.

A clear example is the successful reconciliation experience in the Fergana Valley, which demonstrated Uzbekistan’s regional strategy of resolving conflicts through dialogue, confidence-building, and practical cooperation. By prioritizing agreement over confrontation, the country has made a significant contribution to easing tensions in one of Central Asia’s most complex and sensitive regions.

Overall, efforts to promote trust-based diplomacy, strengthen regional cooperation, and advance the peaceful resolution of conflicts have accelerated Central Asia’s transformation into a region of peace, cooperation, and good neighborliness.

In today’s complex international environment, policies based on peace and cooperation remain the most reliable path forward. Uzbekistan’s open foreign policy, its strategic partnership with Finland and the European Union, and its commitment to regional solidarity are laying a solid foundation for sustainable development.

Peace is not an abstract aspiration; it is the result of consistent political will, trust-based diplomacy, and sincere cooperation. A prosperous and secure future rests on these shared values.

Ilkka Räisänen

Former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Finland to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan; External Adviser to the European Neighbourhood Council; Honorary Professor at the International Nordic University.