UZBEKISTAN’S NEW FOREIGN POLICY STRATEGY: REGIONAL COOPERATION AND CENTRAL ASIAN INTEGRATION

Abstract

This article examines the principal features of Uzbekistan’s new foreign policy strategy with particular attention to regional cooperation and Central Asian integration. It considers the shift toward openness, pragmatic diplomacy, good-neighborly relations, and the search for mutually beneficial solutions to regional challenges. The study focuses on the institutionalization of political dialogue, the development of trade and transport connectivity, cooperation in water and energy, and the importance of Afghanistan for regional security. It also discusses the opportunities and limitations of regional integration, including differences in national interests, economic asymmetries, environmental pressures, and the absence of a supranational regional organization.