Uzbekistan pursues an exemplary multivector foreign policy and has established itself as one of the principal mediators in Central Asia. As a bridge country between East and West and a central element of the historic Silk Road, Uzbekistan and Central Asia occupy a pivotal geopolitical position. Consequently, both Western and Eastern powers are actively competing to strengthen their bilateral relations with Uzbekistan.

Eighteen years ago, Blank, S. (2008) published an article entitled “The Strategic Importance of Central Asia: An American View”, in which he sought to underline the importance of Central Asia at a time when the region was still largely unknown and underestimated worldwide. However, since the outbreak of the war between Ukraine and Russia, international interest in Central Asia has increased considerably, and academic as well as policy-oriented publications focusing on the region have experienced exponential growth.

Today, Central Asia is becoming vital for both geopolitical poles: the West and the East.

Alkuwaiti, M. A. S. (2022) writes that “the Central Asian area contains around 5.5% of the world’s hydro potential. Furthermore, over 20% of the world’s investigated uranium is located in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.” Central Asian countries are rich in energy resources, including oil, coal, and natural gas. Following the energy crisis, Europe has come to fully understand the strategic importance of Central Asia for its own energy security.

It is important to recall that Central Asian states are considered reliable partners due to their stable foreign policies and their secure domestic investment environments, which inspire confidence among foreign investors. This is particularly true for Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, whose internal investment policies are regarded as stable and predictable.

As for China, the construction of the New Silk Road has led Beijing to identify Central Asia as a region of reliable partners with whom it can trade and establish direct connections to Western markets. Through the implementation of new railway routes following the conflict in Ukraine, China seeks to diversify its transit corridors, reduce its dependence on both Russia and Kazakhstan, and sustain long-term rail trade with the European Union and Middle Eastern countries. This strategic context explains why China has developed a particularly strong interest in Uzbekistan.

Two countries currently play a leading role in Central Asia: Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. However, Turkmenistan is also gaining increasing importance along the New Silk Road, particularly due to its port on the Caspian Sea, the city of Turkmenbashi. Nevertheless, one country that attracted particular attention over the past year is Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan has stood out due to several high-level diplomatic engagements, including meetings with former U.S. President Donald Trump and the signing of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) in Brussels, expected to be finalized by the end of 2025. These developments illustrate the growing international recognition of Uzbekistan as a key regional actor.

Uzbekistan entered 2026 with an active diplomatic agenda, marked by official visits and international tours. Notably, the meeting between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara highlights Uzbekistan’s determination to continue pursuing its multivector foreign policy. At the same time, it reflects the country’s strong ambition to further develop connectivity between the two continents of Europe and Asia.

Uzbekistan’s foreign policy has attracted increasing attention from experts due to its implementation of a balanced and equidistant approach toward global centers of power. Since the presidency of Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Uzbekistan has experienced significant economic growth and a noticeable transformation in its diplomatic posture.

Today, Uzbekistan’s foreign policy under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev is characterized by openness and a clear willingness to integrate the country into global and regional cooperation and integration processes. According to Katpenova, A. Z. (2024), this approach can be defined by Uzbekistan’s consistent refusal to participate in military-political blocs, to host foreign military bases on its territory, or to engage in armed conflicts beyond its national borders.

The introduction of political reforms in Uzbekistan has played a crucial role in shaping its foreign policy orientation. These reforms have enabled the country to strengthen both intra-regional and extra-regional ties, resulting in the expansion of economic relations with key international partners, particularly the European Union, the United States, and China.

Since Shavkat Mirziyoyev came to power, Uzbekistan’s active foreign policy has increasingly aimed to support the successful implementation of the country’s domestic reform agenda. The government has set ambitious economic transformation goals, including achieving a gross domestic product (GDP) of $100 billion, exceeding $30 billion in exports, and ensuring that the private sector contributes 80% of the national GDP.

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