THE 3RD CENTRAL ASIA–REPUBLIC OF KOREA THINK TANK FORUM HAS BEGUN

The event was organized at the initiative of the Center for Strategic Research under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan together with the Secretariat of the Cooperation Forum “Republic of Korea – Central Asia.”

At the official opening ceremony of the forum, the Director of the Center for Strategic Research under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Khairiddin Usmonzoda, delivered a welcoming speech, warmly greeting the participants and guests of the event.

In his speech, he noted that despite the rapid changes in the world order, the intensification of geopolitical competition, the transformation of international security mechanisms, and the growth of mutual distrust, the states of Central Asia consistently strengthen their own architecture of regional interaction both among themselves and with international partners.

It was emphasized that the countries of Central Asia today increasingly recognize themselves as an integral part of the dynamically developing Asian continent. This is facilitated both by the creation of sustainable platforms for institutionalizing cooperation and by large-scale political and economic transformations taking place in the world. These processes open new opportunities for strengthening mutual understanding, trust, and expanding cooperation among Asian states.

Special attention in the speech was given to the development of interaction between the countries of Central Asia and the Republic of Korea. It was noted that under modern conditions new mechanisms of cooperation are being formed, and the initiative of the Republic of Korea “K-Silk Road” gives important significance to strengthening ties with the states of Central Asia. At present, high-level dialogue is actively developing within the multilateral format “Central Asia – Korea Cooperation Forum.”

It was also noted that within the framework of the “Korean Silk Road” initiative, Seoul seeks to diversify trade and economic routes by connecting South Korea with the continental part of Eurasia. Diversification of trade partners is a pressing task not only for the Republic of Korea but also for the states of Central Asia, which pushes them toward practical cooperation.

In line with these trends, Central Asia is also rapidly turning into a space for new forms of cooperation with the business community of South Korea in the fields of economy, trade, investment, transport, energy, science, innovation, and technology. The potential for cooperation between the countries of Central Asia and their partners does not duplicate but complements each other, and in this complementarity lie commercial opportunities.

It was noted that regular meetings and consultations of experts on the development of cooperation in new promising areas are held between Tajikistan and the Republic of Korea.

Of particular interest for Tajikistan are attracting investments, creating joint enterprises in the textile industry with a full production cycle, developing projects in the field of “green” and digital economy, introducing innovative technologies, as well as creating technology parks.

One of the promising areas of cooperation was named the field of extraction and processing of rare earth minerals. The states of Central Asia possess significant reserves of these resources, which are of strategic importance for the production of high-tech products. For Tajikistan, special importance lies not only in extraction but also in creating a full cycle of processing rare earth elements with high added value.

Separate attention was given to the issues of developing renewable energy. It was emphasized that Central Asia has enormous potential in the field of renewable energy. The Republic of Tajikistan is one of the leaders in the region in this area, producing about 98 percent of electricity from renewable sources, mainly hydropower. The goal proclaimed by the President of the Republic of Tajikistan of a complete transition of the country to renewable energy sources by 2032 reflects the state’s commitment to the principles of sustainable development, environmental responsibility, and building a “green” economy of the future.

In this regard, it was noted that on May 24, 2025, the Founder of Peace and National Unity — Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikistan, respected Emomali Rahmon, laid the foundation stone for the construction of the first enterprise for the production of solar panel equipment in the Dangara Free Economic Zone. The project is being implemented with the support of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan and the company Global Solar Wafer of the Republic of Korea. The total investment volume in four stages amounts to 2 billion US dollars.

According to Khairiddin Usmonzoda, today’s forum serves as an important platform for the exchange of views among scholars, experts, and analysts on key issues of regional development. Therefore, the agenda includes such topics as climate change, energy and food security, transport and communication connectivity between the countries of Central Asia and Asian states, as well as other important issues of international cooperation.

With a welcoming speech also spoke the Executive Vice President of the Korea Foundation, Yeonguk Kim. He noted that in three years of its existence, the Forum of Analytical Centers “Central Asia – Korea” has established itself as an important platform for political dialogue, where leading research institutes of Korea and Central Asia discuss common challenges and directions of future cooperation.

According to Yeonguk Kim, starting from the first forum held in Uzbekistan in 2024, then the second forum held in Kyrgyzstan in 2025, mutual understanding and trust between the regions have been consistently strengthened.

In addition, practical areas of cooperation were identified and political consensus expanded in various fields, including economy, industry, education, culture, and humanitarian exchanges.

These achievements confirm the importance not only of interstate cooperation but also of sustainable interaction between academic and research organizations.

He also noted that the current forum is of particular importance in connection with the fact that it is held on the eve of the first summit “Republic of Korea – Central Asia,” which will take place in Seoul in September this year. Through the summit, our countries will take an important step toward further institutionalizing cooperation in various fields, strengthening the basis of mutually beneficial, complementary, and future-oriented practical interaction, as well as expanding humanitarian exchanges to strengthen ties and partnership.

This will become an important stage on the path to peace, stability, prosperity, and innovative development. At this historic moment, the Third Think Tanks Forum of Analytical Centers “Korea – Central Asia” will become an important platform supporting the success of the upcoming summit and shaping the political vision of future cooperation, emphasized Yeonguk Kim.

With welcoming speeches also spoke Advisor of the Department of the Assistant to the President of the Republic of Tajikistan on Foreign Relations Farrukh Umarzoda and Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Republic of Tajikistan Son Sik Chong. In their speeches, they emphasized the importance of strengthening the strategic partnership between the Republic of Korea and the states of Central Asia, noted the growing role of expert diplomacy in the development of interstate dialogue, and expressed confidence that the results of the forum will contribute to the development of new practical initiatives and deepening mutually beneficial cooperation.

It should be noted that the forum is held over two days, and its program includes four thematic sessions devoted to pressing issues of interaction between the countries of Central Asia and the Republic of Korea. During the forum, participants plan to determine priority areas of further cooperation, develop expert recommendations in accordance with the main directions of state policy, and prepare a brief practice-oriented final document for submission to relevant ministries and agencies of the participating states ahead of the next summit.

It is expected that the results of the forum will contribute to further strengthening of partnership relations between the states of Central Asia and the Republic of Korea, as well as to the development of new effective mechanisms for mutually beneficial and long-term cooperation.