The rapid advancement of digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and global communication tools is accompanied by a profound transformation in the nature of transnational threats. President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev addressed these critical issues on November 6 in a message to participants at the first expert dialogue on security in the SCO Plus format, held in Samarkand. The head of state noted that contemporary progress not only opens up broad opportunities but simultaneously generates entirely new vulnerabilities and risks for international stability.
Key Takeaways: President Shavkat Mirziyoyev stated at the Samarkand SCO expert dialogue that cyberspace has turned into a primary arena of conflict. Terrorist organizations are actively exploiting the internet to recruit youth, and no single nation can fully counter these cross-border threats alone.
According to the Uzbek leader, the escalation of geopolitical tensions, deepening confrontations, and the intensification of armed conflicts remain defining characteristics of the current global situation. In such a complex environment, ensuring information security, protecting critical infrastructure, and enhancing state resilience against novel forms of destructive influence are becoming increasingly urgent. It was emphasized that cyberspace has evolved into a major battlefield where network attacks, public consciousness manipulation, and disinformation are actively deployed alongside traditional methods.
The president expressed serious concern over the exploitation of the digital environment by terrorist organizations. Internet platforms have allegedly turned into instruments for radical ideology promotion, recruiting new adherents, securing financial resources, and forming cross-border extremist associations. Young people, being the most vulnerable demographic, are reportedly being targeted by destructive forces aiming to exploit social contradictions and spread intolerance, which could undermine interethnic and interfaith harmony.
Concluding his address, Shavkat Mirziyoyev stressed that no single state is capable of fully countering borderless threats on its own, which naturally heightens the demand for international cooperation, mutual trust, and practical interaction mechanisms. It was highlighted that over its 25-year history, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has served as an effective platform, and Uzbekistan remains committed to strengthening its role in ensuring regional security and sustainable development.
Source: www.gazeta.uz