Today, April 18, on the sidelines of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF 2026), a panel session titled “Rising Together: Global Positioning of Central Asian States at Their 35th Anniversary” was held, focusing on rethinking the role of Central Asia in a rapidly changing global order.
The panel brought together President of the Turkic Academy, Prof. Dr. Shahin Mustafayev, heads of Turkic cooperation organizations, as well as representatives of international institutions and the expert community.
Senior officials from the foreign ministries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan delivered presentations, sharing their assessments of current developments and the region’s future prospects.
The central theme of the discussion was the growing importance of Central Asia amid intensifying geopolitical competition and the transformation of the global security architecture. Participants noted that, 35 years after gaining independence, the countries of the region have reached a critical juncture—shaping long-term development strategies while navigating increasing uncertainty in the external environment.
Particular attention was given to strengthening connectivity, expanding economic and infrastructure integration, and finding a balance between national interests and regional cooperation.
The panel also addressed Central Asian countries’ relations with major global actors and the increasing role of multilateral cooperation formats.
