TASHKENT, July 29. /Dunyo IA/. Today, President of Uzbekistan will pay a working visit to Kazakhstan to attend the opening ceremony of the “Games of the Future 2026” International Multisport Competitions, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

Diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan were established on November 23rd, 1992. However, the contemporary dynamics of bilateral ties are defined not merely by the duration of diplomatic relations, but by the high intensity of political dialogue and interaction. Over the past decade, the leaders of the two countries have paid a number of reciprocal state visits, including the state visits of the President of Uzbekistan to Kazakhstan in 2017, 2021 and 2024, as well as the visits of the President of Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan in 2019, 2022 and 2025. In addition, since 2023, informal meetings and working visits of the heads of state have become an important element of regular political engagement.

Political cooperation extends beyond the bilateral agenda. Kazakhstan consistently supports Uzbekistan’s initiatives within the framework of the United Nations (UN), Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Consultative Meetings of the Heads of State of Central Asia, as well as the “Central Asia+” cooperation formats. Among the priority areas of interaction are industrial cooperation, energy and food security, combating climate change, tourism, digital technologies and artificial intelligence, as well as human capital development and the training of qualified specialists.

This multifaceted system of cooperation mechanisms demonstrates that the bilateral partnership is developing not only at the level of the heads of state. It has established a sustainable implementation framework - from political decisions to intergovernmental commissions, working groups and enhanced interaction between regions. It is precisely this institutional architecture that enables the transformation of political agreements into concrete projects and tangible outcomes.

Kazakhstan is among the top three largest foreign trade partners of Uzbekistan, accounting for 57 percent of Uzbekistan’s total trade turnover with the countries of Central Asia. At the same time, in 2025, Uzbekistan’s share in Kazakhstan’s regional trade turnover amounted to 55.8 percent. These figures demonstrate that bilateral economic ties have acquired systemic importance not only for the two countries, but also for the economic development of the entire region.

Structure of economic cooperation is gradually becoming more diversified. Uzbekistan’s key export sectors include vehicles and spare parts, mechanical equipment, food and industrial goods, textile and chemical products, ferrous metals, beverages, and tobacco. Kazakhstan supplies Uzbekistan with grain and products of the milling and cereal industries, ferrous metals, food products, mineral fuels and electricity, ores, as well as chemical goods.

Even more importantly, the cooperation is gradually moving from simple trade relations towards industrial cooperation. Intergovernmental Working Group established in 2022 to monitor joint projects and import substitution initiatives addresses cooperation in such areas as energy, chemical industry, transport, mechanical engineering, light industry, agriculture, electrical engineering, infrastructure and pharmaceuticals.

An important role in this process is played by intergovernmental and interregional cooperation mechanisms, including Intergovernmental Commission, Forum of Interregional Cooperation and Business Council. At the same time, the further expansion of economic ties is expected to be ensured not only through cooperation between central governments, but also through the newly established Council of Heads of Regions, which is set to become a new mechanism for direct interaction between the regions of the two countries.

In this context, the bilateral partnership is becoming increasingly complementary: its resilience is now determined not by a single area of cooperation, but by the combined strength of trade, industrial and investment ties.

Against this backdrop, upcoming visit takes on particular significance. It is taking place at a time when political relations between the two countries have already acquired a strong foundation of alliance, while economic cooperation continues to demonstrate dynamic growth. The next natural dimension of this agenda is the advancement of new technologies, digitalization, and innovative formats of international cooperation - a context in which the International Multisport Tournament “Games of the Future” in Astana fits seamlessly.

In 2026, Astana will serve as the host city for the competition. The tournament will take place from July 29th to August 9th and will mark the third stage in the development of the international project, following the first edition held in Kazan in 2024 and the second edition hosted by Abu Dhabi in 2025.

“Games of the Future” represent a new format of competition that combines physical sports with digital technologies. Participants compete simultaneously in physical and virtual environments, with the results of both stages being combined to determine the winners. In this way, the tournament reflects the evolution of the sports industry in the era of digital transformation and the emergence of new formats of international competitions.

Scale of the upcoming tournament highlights its international significance. Around 900 athletes from more than 50 countries are expected to participate in the competition, while the number of spectators is projected to exceed 100,000 people. The tournament programme includes eight disciplines: phygital football, phygital basketball, phygital shooters, phygital martial arts, phygital dancing, “MOBA Mobile”, “MOBA PC” and Battle Royale.

Upcoming visit of the President of Uzbekistan to Kazakhstan goes beyond participation in the opening ceremony of the tournament. It reflects a broader trend towards the formation of a new model of regional cooperation in Central Asia, based on a combination of political trust, economic integration, technological partnership and joint promotion of innovative international initiatives. In this context, “Games of the Future” represent not only a sporting event, but also a symbol of the region’s transition towards a new development agenda.