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SOUTH ASIAN REGION IN THE FOREIGN POLICY STRATEGY OF UZBEKISTAN
Farrukh Khakimov
Head of Department at the Development Strategy Center
The reforms in the area of implementation of balanced, mutually beneficial and constructive foreign policy of the Strategy of Action for the five priority areas of development of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2017-2021 are
demonstrating their effectiveness. As an equal member of international relations, Uzbekistan establishes an active foreign policy at the regional and global levels and develops mutually beneficial relations with foreign partners. In particular,
over the past five years, as a result of Uzbekistan's open, constructive, and pragmatic policy towards Central Asia, complex and confusing problems such as water use, delimitation, and demarcation of state borders between Uzbekistan
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and neighboring countries, use of transport communications, and state borders crossings have increasingly been addressed and resolved [1].
The development of cooperation not only with neighbouring countries, but also with neighbouring regions is a priority in the foreign policy of Uzbekistan. In particular, the cooperation with the countries of the South Asian region with total population of
almost 2 billion, and the gross domestic product of 3.5 trillion is especially important, as the region has unique potential and opportunities for Uzbekistan and Central Asia.
There has been paid special attention to the Southern Asia region in the President Mirziyoyev Address to the Oliy Majlis and in the State Program for 2021 [2], and in order to further strengthen ties with neighbouring countries in the Central and South
Asian regions in the spirit of eternal friendship, good neighbourliness, strategic partnership and mutual trust, there was planned to effectively organize and conduct at high level the international conference "Central and South Asia: regional interdependence. Threats and Opportunities" (paragraph 263). This prestigious international conference is scheduled for July 15-16 this year in
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INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE «CENTRAL AND SOUTH ASIA: REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY. CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES»
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DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.24412/2181-2535-2021-1-66-71
Tashkent.
It should be noted that the South Asian region is a strategically important region for Uzbekistan, and it is noteworthy that our relations with India and Pakistan, which are key factors in this region, are intensifying. These countries are important partners of Uzbekistan both bilaterally in the framework of Shanghai Cooperation Organization [3].
The high-level meetings and regular talks of the President of Uzbekistan with the leaders of India and Pakistan testify to the stable development
of warm relations and cooperation between the two countries.
In addition, in recent years, trade and economic relations of Uzbekistan with South Asian countries are developing rapidly. In particular, despite the global pandemic, by 2020 the total foreign trade of Uzbekistan with the countries of the South Asian region reached 1.38 billion soums and the share of the South Asian region in total foreign trade was 3.8% [4].
It should be noted that the President of Uzbekistan has put forward a number of important initiatives
to strengthen cooperation between Central and South Asia in trade, economic, transport, humanitarian, tourism and other fields.
In particular, there are being implemented major infrastructure projects like Trans-Afghan Transport Corridor from Central Asia to the Indian Ocean ports (Mazar-e-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar and Mazar-e-Sharif-Herat railways), the Surkhan - Puli Khumri power transmission line - in order to involve Afghanistan in the process of economic integration in the region, the Termez International Trade Centre, the establishment of free economic zones on the border between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, as well as cultural and humanitarian projects such as the Education Centre for Afghan Students in Termez.
A meeting of a high-level trilateral working group on the
implementation of the Mazar-e-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway project was held on February 2, 2020 during the visit of delegations of the Governments of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Tashkent. A joint "Road Map" for the construction of the Mazar-e-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway was signed between Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan [5].
The length of the Mazar-e-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway is almost 600 km. and its construction is expected to be
completed in 5 years. It is planned to attract a loan in the amount of USD 4.8 billion for the project. In addition, the construction of the Surkhan-Puli-Khumri high-voltage transmission line and the CASA-1000 energy project, which will provide seasonal surplus hydropower from Central Asia to meet the growing demand for electricity in Afghanistan and Pakistan, significantly reduces potential costs to build the railway sections [6].
It should be noted here, that the analysis shows that the construction of
the Trans-Afghan transport corridor -Mazar-e-Sharif - Kabul - Peshawar railway will allow Central Asian countries to diversify foreign trade routes and opens a new and shortest path to enter South Asian markets, increasing the transit opportunities in the region. Consequently, it will be possible to access the ports of Karachi and Gwadar in Pakistan and reduce the time for the transportation of goods from Pakistan to Uzbekistan from the current 35 days to 3-5 days. In addition, the implementation of the Mazar-e-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar
railway project will dramatically reduce interregional freight times and open up opportunities for trade, transport and transit for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. The construction of the Trans-Afghan Railway will not only be economically efficient, but will also have sociopolitical significance, serving to ensure
peace and improve the well-being of the population in Afghanistan [7].
Moreover, the diversity of transport routes connecting Europe with Asia, which provides access to the sea routes for Central Asian countries, serves to strengthen the position of the countries of the region in the global supply and production chain. The construction of
the Mazar-e-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway will also make a significant contribution to regional security. Improving the socioeconomic situation in the northern and eastern regions of Afghanistan will help strengthen the security of this country with neighbouring countries [8].
The project and initiative of the Trans-Afghan
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Corridor, initiated by Uzbekistan, has also attracted the attention of the international community. It is currently supported by a number of international financial institutions, including the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Islamic Development Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and Russia, China, the United States, and other countries [9].
It should be noted that the current open, constructive and pragmatic foreign policy of Uzbekistan, along with increasing the country's international prestige, serves to make Central Asia a place of stable and great cooperation. In this regard, the development of cooperation with the countries of South Asia, further strengthening ties in
the spirit of eternal friendship, good neighbourliness, strategic partnership and mutual trust and the implementation of major infrastructural, cultural and humanitarian projects promoted by Uzbekistan play important role in
References:
[1] Tulyakov, E. & Khakimov, F. «Friendly Cooperation with Central Asian States - A Priority Direction of Uzbekistan's Foreign Policy». Caspian Policy Center. March 29, 2021. https://www.caspianpolicy.org/friendly-cooperation-with-central-asian-states-a-priority-direction-of-uzbekistans-foreign-policy/
[2] «2017-2021 йилларда «Узбекистан Республикасини ривожлантиришнинг бешта устувор йуналиши буйича Х,аракатлар стратегиясини «Ёшларни куллаб-кувватлаш ва адоли саломатлигини мустадкамлаш йили»да амалга оширишга оид Давлат дастури тутрисида»ги Узбекистан Республикаси Президентининг Фармони. Узбекистан Республикаси Крнунчилик маълумотлари миллий баъзаси https://lex.uz/docs/5260791.
[3] «Замонавий дунёда Узбекистан ташки сиёсатининг кун тартиби». Узбекистан Республикаси ташки ишлар вазири Абдулазиз Комиловнинг интервьюси. «Янги Узбекистан» гезетаси. 2020 йил 27 август, 163-сон.
[4] «Узбекистан Республикаси ташки савдо айланмаси». Узбекистан Республикаси Давлат статистика кумитаси. 22 январь 2021 йил, https:// stat.uz/images/uploads/docs/tashqi_savdo_uz_22012021.pdf.
[5] «Тошкент шадрида «Мозори-Шариф - Кобул - Пешавор» темир йулини куриш буйича юкори даражадаги уч томонлама ишчи гурудининг биринчи йигилиши булиб утди». Узбекистан Республикаси Инвестициялар ва ташки савдо вазирлиги. 2 февраль 2021 й., https:// mift.uz/uz/news/toshkent-sharida-mozori-sharif-kobul-peshavor-temir-julini-urish-bujicha-juori-darazhadagi-uch-tomonlama-ishchi-guruining-birinchi-jiilishi-bulib-utdi.
[6] «Узбекистан, Афгонистон ва Покистон темир йул курилиши буйича «Йул харитаси»ни имзоладилар». «Газета.^». 9 февраль 2021 й., https:// www.gazeta.uz/uz/2021/02/09/trans-afghan-railway/.
[7] Э. Арипов «Мазари-Шариф - Пешавар»: коридор в новое будущее Центральной и Южной Азии». «Газета.^». 11 февраля 2021 г., https:// www.gazeta.uz/ru/2021/02/11/route/.
[8] Веселов А. «Узбекистан соединяет Центральную Азию с Южной». «Открытый город», http://www.freecity.lv/v-mire/72516/.
[9] «Участие Узбекистана в крупных региональных инвестиционных инфраструктурных проектах в фокусе внимания кувейтской прессы». Информационного агентства «Дунё», 17 марта 2021 г., https://dunyo. info/ru/site/inner/uchastie_uzbekistana_v_krupnih_regionalynih_ investitsionnih_infrastrukturnih_proektah_v_fokuse_vnimaniya_ kuveytskoy_pressi-pbX.
ensuring stability and economic growth in Central and South Asia.
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