️ Against the backdrop of global conflicts, such as the escalation around Iran and tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Central Asian region stands out for its peaceful and stable condition. This is a result of the region's pragmatic foreign policy and an approach based on interdependence. Today, key questions revolve around how internal relations and order are shaped in the region, as well as its role in Eurasian and international affairs.

️ Regions no longer exist merely on a map but live based on interdependence in issues like water, energy, migration, security, and transport. Even if countries do not form official alliances, they are compelled to negotiate to address these challenges. This situation offers the region an opportunity to either learn to coexist or face instability.

️ Regionalism in Central Asia lacks a single template; it is flexible and multi-layered. Understanding how politics is increasingly shaped not only globally but also at the regional level in the 21st century requires attention to this dimension. In recent years, shifts in the world order have heightened interest in the region, showcasing the logic behind how countries sustain cooperation.

️ Central Asia as a region has been shaped by its geography, trade routes, cultural ties, and millennia of history, but its modern political identity is a result of conscious choices in the post-Soviet era. Although attempts have been made to describe the region through various frameworks, this has not compromised its integrity. Instead, multifaceted distinctiveness strengthens stability.

️ In the 1990s-2000s, efforts to formalize regionalism failed due to lack of experience and the prioritization of security issues. However, common markets, risks, and interests continued to bind countries together. After 2017, the situation changed: countries returned to "soft" regionalism, involving regular consultations and strengthening mutual trust.

️ While the region's stability was long doubted by external observers, current dynamics demonstrate the opposite. Central Asia has not only avoided fragmentation but also enhanced its autonomy. Amidst the rivalry of major powers, the region is now perceived not as an object of foreign policy but as a unified partner.

️ Despite internal constraints and external influences that hinder deep integration, this creates broader opportunities for independent decision-making. After gaining independence, Central Asian states preserved a certain regional order, forming a unique model of cooperation without rigid inter-state institutions but based on stable behavioral norms.

Source: www.gazeta.uz