The summit, chaired by the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, was attended by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, and CIS Secretary General Sergey Lebedev.

In accordance with the agenda, topical issues of further expansion of practical cooperation within the Commonwealth were discussed.

At the beginning of his speech, the Head of our state noted that despite the unpredictable processes in global politics and economics and the weakening role of international institutions, the CIS continues to demonstrate its stability, effectiveness, and relevance.

Thanks to mechanisms and contacts established over decades, close cooperation is being carried out across the entire spectrum of economic, social, and humanitarian issues.

- We are interested in further strengthening cooperation within the CIS, as well as increasing the effectiveness of practical interaction with countries that are our natural partners, - said the President of Uzbekistan.

The leader of our country then put forward a number of proposals and initiatives for further expanding practical cooperation within the Commonwealth.

The Organization has identified the strengthening of economic partnership as an unconditional priority, taking into account the deteriorating situation in the global economy, the rise of protectionism, and the emergence of new challenges to sustainable development.

It was noted with satisfaction that Uzbekistan's trade turnover with its CIS partners increased by 11 percent last year and continues to grow this year. These indicators are linked to the deepening of inter-sectoral cooperation and an increase in mutual investment flows.

In order to make greater use of available resources and maintain the momentum and dynamics of cooperation, the President of Uzbekistan proposed to focus joint efforts on the following priority areas.

First, further creation of favorable conditions for increasing trade turnover.

The need to simplify procedures and requirements for the supply of certain goods, especially agricultural products, and access to national markets, including public procurement, was emphasized.

Attention was also drawn to the relevance of launching, within the framework of the CIS Economic Council, mechanisms for rapid response to changes in the external environment and reorientation of trade flows, as well as intensifying work on the coordination of draft agreements on technical barriers and the recognition of conformity assessment documents.

Second, deepening cooperation in the field of transport.

There are still bottlenecks in the transport network in the CIS region, which reduce the efficiency of existing corridors. In this regard, there is a need to create information and logistics centres integrated with all modes of transport.

Given the importance of attracting private investment to modernize freight transport infrastructure, a conference on expanding public-private partnerships in the transport sector has been initiated in Uzbekistan.

Third, stimulating mutual investment growth and supporting cooperation projects.

In this regard, it has been proposed to prepare a roadmap for the support and development of special economic and industrial zones, to create a CIS venture platform to deepen cooperation and promote innovative start-ups with the involvement of business, and to hold an innovation industry forum next year at the "INNOPROM" exhibition in Tashkent.

Fourth, development of energy cooperation.

As the President of Uzbekistan noted, a number of major strategic projects are currently being implemented jointly with CIS partners in the field of traditional and alternative energy sources, including the construction of a nuclear power plant.

The President advocated for the development and implementation of a long-term program for the innovative development of the energy sector in the CIS countries.

Fifth, cooperation in the field of digitalization.

The leader of our country noted that the International Forum “Development of Artificial Intelligence Technologies in the CIS,” held in Samarkand in August this year, demonstrated growing mutual interest and opportunities for cooperation. In this regard, he proposed to develop a multilateral Action Plan to deepen practical cooperation in this area.

The Head of State also drew particular attention to the importance of expanding joint projects and programs in the fields of science, education, culture, and arts.

- Given the dynamic development of the education sector and the labor market in our countries, we advocate the preparation of a new intergovernmental agreement on the mutual recognition of diplomas, qualifications, and academic programs, as well as the introduction of a mechanism for harmonizing professional standards and qualification requirements, - said the President.

Readiness was expressed to host the CIS Youth Forum in Khiva next year, with the agenda including the creation of a Youth Laboratory to form an innovative ecosystem, support the creative and intellectual potential of the younger generation.

Addressing regional security issues, the President drew attention to the importance of continuing systematic, close contacts between foreign ministries and special services. Special attention is required for the situation in Afghanistan.

- Uzbekistan is firmly committed to ensuring long-term peace, stability, and sustainable development in Afghanistan. In this regard, we propose considering the possibility of joint participation in the implementation of major investment and infrastructure projects in this country, – noted the leader of our country.

In conclusion, Shavkat Mirziyoyev supported the reappointment of Sergey Lebedev as Secretary General of the CIS and wished the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, success in assuming the chairmanship of the Organization.

The heads of delegations from other Commonwealth countries also addressed the meeting.

Following the summit, a package of agreements and decisions on priority areas of cooperation within the CIS was signed.