On August 28-29, Akramjon Nematov, First Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan, took part online in the 11th Think Tank Forum of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia.

Addressing the panel session on “Security, stability and mutually beneficial cooperation between CICA members”, the expert noted that today the Conference is the most extensive multilateral platform in Asia, based on dialogue, consensus, and voluntariness.

The ISRS representative states, “The demand for CICA is significantly growing in the new global realities when we witness complex processes succinctly designated as a difficult crisis.

Its characteristic features are the aggravation of numerous challenges and threats, the totality of which leads to an increase in confrontation and competition. As a result, more and more dangerous hotbeds of tension are emerging in various parts of the world, and new dividing lines are being created”.

“The consequences of these processes are the introduction of protectionism measures, the violation of established logistics and production ties, and the use of the unilateral sanctions regime, which undermines the foundations of the functioning of the world economic system”, Akramjon Nematov emphasized.

The expert continued by noting that the situation is exacerbated by the effects of climate change, which are global and on an unprecedented scale. This is especially felt in the Central Asian region, where the average annual temperature is rising faster than the world average, which leads to the reduction of glaciers in the local mountains, the volume of which has decreased by almost 30% over the past 50 years.

“This circumstance, coupled with the rapid growth of the population, which has increased from 55 million to 80 million people in just over 20 years, also seriously aggravates the problems of food and environmental security”, the ISRS First Deputy Director said.

According to him, combining the above factors creates favorable conditions for the growth of threats of extremism and terrorism, cross-border crime, and drug trafficking.

“This is becoming especially evident in neighboring Afghanistan, where the situation remains quite difficult, and the humanitarian crisis aggravates. The deterioration of the socio-economic situation in this country creates conditions for the activation of terrorist groups, which can challenge regional security and stability”.

According to Akramjon Nematov, in these difficult conditions, the restoration of trust, building a constructive dialogue, finding common ground, and joint work to coordinate actions in the fight against new challenges of our time are becoming popular.

Noting the importance of developing multilateral cooperation, the expert drew the attention of the Forum participants to the Samarkand initiative of solidarity for the sake of common security and prosperity, put forward by the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev in September last year.

“Its main goal is to involve all interested states in the global inter-civilizational dialogue, search for agreed approaches and solutions, restore trust, relieve tension to establish international cooperation”, the ISRS representative noted, inviting experts from the CICA member states to take an active part in the upcoming International Samarkand Forum.

It is expected that this Forum will act as a global inclusive dialogue platform that will bring together states and peoples with different economies, geographies, and cultures for joint reflection and search for new approaches to address the most pressing issues of the international political and socio-economic agenda, promoting a culture of peace, Akramjon Nematov concluded.

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