President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev delivered a speech at the fifth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia and put forward a number of vital initiatives aimed at coordinating the efforts of the participating countries to consolidate peace and stimulate socio-economic development.

The head of our state noted that the modern system of international relations is characterized by growing instability and unpredictability. The countries in the Asian continent, themselves wielding colossal economic and intellectual potential, face serious challenges. These are, first of all, issues associated with ecology, demography, migration, low standards of living and education. They are the principal sources of social conflicts and a breeding ground for the spread of the ideologies of extremism and terrorism.

Of particular concern is the process of radicalization among young people.

“Today’s world is experiencing a crisis of confidence. But trust among nations and peoples is the most critical prerequisite for ensuring security and sustainable development,” Shavkat Mirziyoyev insisted. “In our opinion, to overcome the crisis of confidence and strengthen security, it is necessary, first of all, to deliver an environment conducive for the development of human capital. In this respect, the activities of our Conference, built on shared respect and collective responsibility, are in demand more than ever.”

According to our country’s leader, security is indivisible, and its ultimate backbone is trust.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev stressed that Uzbekistan welcomes negotiations in any format if they aim peace. He noted that the settlement in Afghanistan and the implementation of major infrastructure projects there would open up new strategic opportunities for the entire continent.

One of the vital conditions for stability and prosperity is also the creation of favorable conditions for young people to realize their potential, expand access to quality education and combat radicalization.

At the initiative of our country’s President, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution “Enlightenment and Religious Tolerance”; an International Convention on the Rights of Young People is under elaboration.
 
In this regard, the head of our state noted the readiness of Uzbekistan to assume the role of coordinator in the field of scientific, educational, cultural and humanitarian cooperation. Uzbekistan also believes that the intensification of contacts in public diplomacy is on high demand, including through the organization of forums in tourism.

“That would definitely contribute to boosting confidence and improving mutual understanding among nations,” the President of Uzbekistan stated.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed to establish a systematic dialogue on the maintenance of inter-religious harmony, for enlightenment and cultural mutual enrichment. The International Center for Islamic Civilization in Tashkent and the Imam Bukhari International Research Center in Samarkand could serve as effective platforms for this.

Uzbekistan’s President pointed to the need to step up efforts to advance economic interconnectedness and regional trade. First of all, under consideration are priority infrastructure projects, whose implementation would more fully reveal the transit and economic potential of the entire region.

“The driver of sustainable economic growth is the development of partnership at the business level. In accordance with the Concept of Cooperation in this area, we propose to establish a Regional Forum for Small Business,” Shavkat Mirziyoyev suggested.

The head of our state said that the exasperating environmental threats constitute a serious challenge to security and sustainable development. The Aral crisis is an ecological and humanitarian catastrophe on the global scale. In this regard, efforts should be combined to overwhelm the consequences of this tragedy. It was for this purpose that, at the initiative of Uzbekistan, a Multi-Partner Trust Fund was set up at the UN to mobilize donor funds and spearhead specific projects in the Aral region. 

Following the discussions at the session, the Declaration of the Fifth Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia was adopted.