Organizers of the first Fergana Peace Forum — the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan, the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, and international partners — announced the creation of a permanent platform for joint projects in the economic, humanitarian, and environmental spheres between Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, reports Asia-Plus.
Held on October 15–16 under the motto “Fergana Valley: Uniting Efforts for Peace and Progress,” the forum brought together for the first time the governors of Uzbekistan’s Fergana region, Kyrgyzstan’s Batken region, and Tajikistan’s Sughd region.
According to ISRS Director Eldor Aripov, the forum marks a transition from the era of closed borders to a new model of cooperation and good neighborliness. He noted that the Fergana Valley — long seen as a zone of contradictions — is becoming a symbol of mutual trust and shared development.
Among the forum’s key objectives are developing a common vision for regional growth, sharing best practices in border issue resolution, and building a positive international image of the valley.
According to the Center for Economic Research and Reforms, over the past eight years the valley’s combined gross regional product has increased from $7.9 billion to $19.8 billion, exports have risen 2.4 times, and Uzbekistan’s trade with its neighbors has more than tripled to $1.6 billion.
The forum will become a regular event, held every three years on a rotating basis among the valley’s countries, home to about 17 million people.
CentralasianLight.org
October 17, 2025