WNAM REPORT: MThis opinion was expressed by Umarbek Nuriddinov, Chief Research Fellow at the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (ISRS), speaking at a roundtable discussion titled “Uzbekistan–Pakistan: Bridging regions and creating new opportunities”, held on January 23 of this year.
The event was organized by the International Institute for Central Asia, in collaboration with the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Uzbekistan. Representatives of government agencies, leading analytical centers, and research and educational institutions from both countries took part in its proceedings.
During the roundtable, special attention was given to current issues in the interaction between Uzbekistan and Pakistan, as well as promising areas of cooperation in trade and economic, transport, energy, and cultural and humanitarian spheres.
As the ISRS representative noted, “the international environment is undergoing a period of profound transformations, characterized by growing global uncertainty, fragmentation of supply chains, increasing protectionism and sanctions regimes, as well as escalating climate and resource challenges, which are shaping a fundamentally new geoeconomic reality”.
Under these conditions, according to him, the key factors of competitiveness for developing states become the quality of economic growth, diversification, resilience to external shocks, and the ability to integrate into new regional and interregional economic configurations
In this context, the expert particularly emphasized the relevance of forming a unified regional economic space and building sustainable models of mutually beneficial partnership.
It was noted that Uzbekistan and Pakistan are located within a single geoeconomic space of Central and South Asia and possess significant economic, resource, transit, and human potential.
At the same time, as reported by Mr. Nuriddinov, “both countries face similar structural challenges, including dependence on raw material and semi-processed export models, a technological gap, the need for economic diversification, and growing pressure on the labor market”.
In his view, it is precisely the commonality of these challenges, combined with existing geostrategic advantages, that objectively necessitate consolidating potential and deepening economic cooperation.
In this regard, the expert identified several interrelated strategic areas of cooperation.
First, amid rising logistics costs and the instability of traditional routes, transport connectivity is becoming increasingly important as a factor in diversifying foreign economic ties. In this context, the need to intensify joint efforts to develop transport and logistics corridors was emphasized as a fundamental element of financial security and external economic resilience.
Second, economic cooperation should focus not only on increasing trade volumes but also on forming joint value-added chains.
Priority areas identified included agriculture and the agro-industrial complex, the textile and food industries, the mining sector, the production of construction materials, pharmaceuticals, and the banking and financial sector. The importance of implementing joint industrial projects with high added value, creating agro-clusters and industrial parks, and introducing modern technological solutions was emphasized.
Third, amid global technology competition, cooperation in information technology is acquiring strategic importance.
It was noted that both countries possess significant human capital, primarily composed of a young population actively acquiring digital competencies. In this regard, the expediency of implementing joint projects in software development, digital platforms, e-commerce, and innovative services was emphasized.
Fourth, the demographic structures of Uzbekistan and Pakistan create considerable potential for deepening cooperation in education, training, and retraining personnel. “In the strategic perspective, this contributes to the formation of a sustainable personnel base for industrial and technological cooperation, strengthens the interdependence of the economies, and creates prerequisites for the long-term growth of their competitiveness”, stated the ISRS representative.
In conclusion, Mr. Nuriddinov noted that “deepening cooperation in the areas of the economy, technology, and human capital meets the long-term interests of Uzbekistan and Pakistan and corresponds to the current global environment”. According to him, such interaction makes it possible to unlock untapped potential, enhance the resilience of national economies, and also fosters mutual interest in the stability, predictability, and sustainable development of the regional environment.
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