HELSINKI, February 27. /Dunyo IA/. A delegation of representatives from analytical centres of Uzbekistan visited the capital of Finland, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

The trip was arranged with the assistance of the Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation and the Norwegian Centre for Conflict Resolution.

During the visit on 23-25 February 2026, a series of working meetings was held with the leadership of the Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs; Education and Culture; Agriculture and Forestry and the Environment and Climate, as well as with Members of the Parliament of Finland, Nordic Investment Bank and Nordic Council of Ministers. Uzbekistan was represented by experts from the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan and the International Institute for Central Asia.

Representatives of leading think tanks from Central Asia also took part in the negotiations, including the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of Kazakhstan and National Institute for Strategic Initiatives under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The Finnish side was provided with comprehensive information on the large-scale socio-economic and institutional reforms being implemented in Uzbekistan. Particular attention was devoted to the reform of the public administration system, economic liberalization, the improvement of the investment climate, and the development of human capital. It was emphasized that the consistent modernization of key sectors is aimed at ensuring sustainable economic growth, improving living standards, and deepening the country’s integration into global processes.

Particular emphasis was placed on the emergence in Central Asia of a qualitatively new stage of regional cooperation, made possible by Uzbekistan’s pragmatic, constructive and good-neighborly foreign policy course. In this context, it was noted that active political dialogue, growing economic interconnectivity, the development of transport and logistics infrastructure, as well as the advancement of joint solutions in the water, energy, and environmental domains have contributed to strengthening mutual trust and establishing sustainable partnership mechanisms, thereby transforming Central Asia into a space of stable and mutually beneficial cooperation.

In turn, Finnish experts highly commended the systemic and long-term nature of the reforms underway in Uzbekistan, noting the country’s growing role as one of the key drivers of positive transformation in the region. According to them, the visit of the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in October 2025 served as an important political signal to the member states of the Nordic Council, confirming the increasing strategic importance of Central Asia and providing fresh impetus for the development of interregional dialogue across a broad range of areas.

Among the priority areas for further cooperation are the green economy, sustainable natural resource management, digital transformation of public administration, modernization of the education system, innovation-driven development, and the training of qualified personnel. In this regard, it was emphasized that Finland possesses advanced expertise in these fields, which is of particular interest for expanding practical partnership with the countries of Central Asia.

Following the meetings, the parties reaffirmed their mutual interest in further deepening cooperation and agreed to continue expert-level dialogue, including through analytical and research institutions, with a view to developing forward-looking initiatives and practical recommendations aimed at advancing interregional cooperation.