Valdai Club

On September 20, 2021, Tashkent hosted a conference of the Valdai Discussion Club and the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, titled “Russia and Uzbekistan in the Face of Development and Security Challenges at a New Historical Stage of Interaction”.

Attention! The time in the programme is local.

Programme of the Conference

The Valdai Discussion Club and the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan

“Russia and Uzbekistan in the Face of Development and Security Challenges at a New Historical Stage of Interaction”

September 20, 2021

Tashkent, Republic of Uzbekistan

September 20, Monday

10:00 – 10:40 (8:00–8:40 Moscow time)  Conference opening

• Eldor Aripov, Director of the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan

• Farhod Arziev, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan

• Andrey Bystritskiy, Chairman of the Board of the Valdai Discussion Club

• Andrey Rudenko, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

11:00 – 13:00 (9:00–11:00 Moscow time)  Session 1. Reforms and Development in Central Asia: Approaches of Russia and Uzbekistan. Humanitarian aspects of bilateral interaction

The reform policy pursued by the leadership of Uzbekistan creates conditions for the country to take a leading position in the economic development of Central Asia and the country’s integration with the world economy. Russia is highly interested in the stable development of the entire region, increasing its adaptability to the challenges and opportunities of the modern economy, and to global and regional markets. Bilateral trade is growing, the number of bilateral and multilateral dialogues where the two countries participate is increasing. Russia and Uzbekistan are united by cultural, historical and human closeness, based on a long-enduring common humanitarian space. While preserving an important legacy, we should look for new approaches that take into account the formation and strengthening of sovereign states, as well as other (in addition to humanitarian) areas of interaction. Cultural and human interaction require support and effective management.

Speakers:

• Yuri Vasilyev, special correspondent for the business newspaper vz.ru

• Anvar Nasyrov, Director of the International Institute of Central Asia

• Alexander Vysotsky, Head of Government Affairs, Yandex Go & Market

• Alisher Faizullaev, professor at Webster University in Tashkent

• Stanislav Tkachenko, Professor of the Department of European Studies, Head of the Master's program “Diplomacy of Russia and Foreign States”, St. Petersburg State University

• Ulugbek Khasanov, professor at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Moderator:

• Sanzhar Valiev, Deputy Director of Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan

14:00 – 16:00 Session 2. Regional security: External and internal factors

The completion of the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan, where they have been for twenty years, creates new security challenges for Central Asia. The risks are aggravated by general uncertainty about the future course of events in that country. Russia will not remain aloof from this problem, since it shares with the countries of Central Asia one of the longest land borders in the world, interacts widely with them on trade and labour market issues, and provides guarantees to protect the region from external threats. Uzbekistan acts as a system-forming element of regional security, having a well-equipped and modernised armed forces capable of conducting modern operations.

In recent years, large-scale transformations have been carried out in the command and control system, organisational structure and combat training of troops, their technical and educational material base has been strengthened.

For the first time, military and military-technical cooperation has been established with the neighbouring states of Central Asia. Relations between Russia and Uzbekistan reached a qualitatively new level within the framework of the Treaty on Allied Relations, which contains substantial provisions in the field of security.

This requires the experts of both countries to conduct a constant frank dialogue about the situation in neighbouring Afghanistan and regional security in general.

Speakers:

• Timofei Bordachev, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club; Scientific Director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies, National Research University Higher School of Economics

• Ismatulla Irgashev, Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Afghanistan

• Ivan Safranchuk, Leading Researcher, Director of the Center for Eurasian Studies, Institute for International Studies, MGIMO, Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

• Abdusamat Khaidarov, professor of the Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies

• Vasily Kashin, Deputy Director at the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies, National Research University Higher School of Economics

• Sanzhar Valiev, Deputy Director of Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Moderator:

• Fyodor Lukyanov, Research Director of the Valdai Discussion Club

16:30 – 18:00 Session 3. International trade and integration in Central Eurasia

Reform policy in Uzbekistan is directly related to increasing the country’s integration with world markets and expanding its participation in trade, transport and logistics relations. Russia, along with its partners, is developing the institutions of Eurasian economic integration, in which Uzbekistan now has observer status. Now the subject of discussion should be the prospects and options for the integration of Uzbekistan into international trade and cooperation relations in Eurasia, as well as interaction with the EAEU and other regional and extra-regional associations. At the same time, the changing global and regional situation does not allow the Eurasian Economic Union to remain unchanged — the EAEU must quickly respond to circumstances and flexibly adapt not only work formats, but also its own goals and objectives.

Speakers:

• Alexey Bezborodov, Managing Partner, Infra Projects LLC

• Timofei Bordachev, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club; Scientific Director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies, National Research University Higher School of Economics

• Umid Abidkhadjaev, Director of the Institute for Forecasting and Macroeconomic Research

• Rustam Makhmudov, Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of International Relations, University of World Economy and Diplomacy

• Nodir Zhumaev, Deputy of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Professor
  

Moderator:

• Sadyk Safayev, First Deputy Chairman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

• Eldor Aripov, Director of the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan

• Andrey Bystritskiy, Chairman of the Board of the Valdai Discussion Club.