TASHKENT, January 5. /Dunyo IA/. Akramjon Nematov, First Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan (ISRS), in an interview with the Dunyo IA, identified a particularly significant event of 2025 for the countries of Central Asia:

- I believe the most important event was Uzbekistan's chairmanship of the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia (CMHSCA). It effectively solidified the trend toward closer cooperation and the readiness of our nations to move forward together, taking responsibility for our shared future by jointly coordinating actions and making decisions in the interests of the entire region. The reason is simple: when the countries of the region work together, everyone reaps tangible benefits—ranging from large-scale economic projects to strengthened trust and increased resilience for the entire region.

In the coming period, it is vital to continue moving along this trajectory. I see the strengthening of a regional identity as a key element here. This is the very internal 'framework' that holds Central Asia together as a single entity and sets the direction for its progress. Identity plays the role of a compass: it allows countries to independently define priorities, formulate common goals, and utilize emerging opportunities with maximum efficiency.

The strategic significance of the region has grown significantly today. Central Asia is not just a shared geographical space, and certainly not a periphery or a zone of competition—it represents a self-sufficient hub of power, a center of attraction, and an independent platform for determining development prospects. A well-formed and strong regional identity allows the region to act as a strategic subject, shape its own agenda, consolidate efforts, and achieve sustainable results. This creates the conditions for coordinated action in key areas—from ensuring security, energy stability, and environmental sustainability to transport logistics and industrial cooperation.

Today, strengthening regional identity is not about symbolism or declarations. It is the foundation of Central Asia's future as an independent, stable, and influential space on the world stage, capable of influencing global processes, shaping the agenda, and confidently advancing its own strategic interests.