Valdai Club

Programme of the 10th Asian Conference of the Valdai Discussion Club 
“Central Asia and Eurasia: 
Multilateral Cooperation Facing Challenges of Global Disorder”
in partnership with the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (ISRS)

Samarkand, November 10-11, 2019

November 10, Sunday

11:30 – 13:30
Russia – Uzbekistan Bilateral Session 

November 11, Monday

09:30 – 09:45
Conference Opening

10:00 – 12:00 Session 1. Central Asia and Eurasia in the Modern World

Greater Eurasia is one of the most dynamically economically developing and important regions for world politics. The processes of regional cooperation unfolding there will play an important role in the future configuration of international economics and politics. Central Asia is an integral part of the large Eurasian region from the Atlantic to Indonesia, its geographical center and one of the most important regions in terms of economy and security. The way Central Asia is getting involved in the broad Eurasian processes, overcomes its remoteness from the traditional sea routes of communication is of strategic importance for the entire macro-regional stability. At the same time, at this session we are planning to find out whether we are on the same page on the most important issues of international development – trade wars, general unpredictability and loss of controllability, the formation of macro-regions. 
 
13:30 – 15:00 Session 2. The Regional Cooperation: Security 

Asian and Eurasian states are facing a number of challenges that are common for the development of the whole world and this region in particular. A response to these challenges might be in the intensification of regional multilateralism aimed at solving security problems and achieving long-term development goals of the region’s states. A combination of these two priorities would allow for achieving sustainable stability and protecting the region from the negative impact of external factors. The prospect is building a multilevel space of cooperation in Asia and Eurasia, where mutual trust and intensity of contacts between the participants will leave no room for suspiciousness. This goal can be achieved in different ways – and this is what the discussion will be focused on.    

15:10 – 16:30 Session 3. The Regional Cooperation: Joined Development 

Complex and oftentimes chaotic processes are unfolding in the world economy. Just as trade wars are waged and unilateral sanctions are introduced, new regional blocs emerge and markets are becoming more open. The most reliable way to increase security and stability in Eurasia is to embrace the experience of Asian countries in the issues of economic development and setting shared long-term goals. In modern conditions, achievement of results will be more efficient if participants in regional cooperation are able to align their national development priorities, making these efforts a real path toward co-development. The session will focus on how to achieve this and what the obstacles on the way are. 

16:45 – 18:15 Session 4. Approaching the future of Asia and Eurasia

Asia and Eurasia are a territory of shared future, which consists of “building blocks” of different areas of cooperation and ways to avoid risks. The session is focused on how experts from Russia, Central Asia and Asia in general see the ideal future of this macroregion in economic, political and humanitarian perspectives. 

17:00 – 17:30 Closing Remarks