The meeting was attended by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, and the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov.

The heads of state exchanged views on key issues related to sustainable development, economic growth, regional security, and the well-being of the peoples of Central Asia and Azerbaijan.

The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan expressed appreciation to President Sadyr Japarov of the Kyrgyz Republic for convening the informal summit and for the warm hospitality extended on the shores of Issyk-Kul.

The President of Uzbekistan also expressed his gratitude to the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov for his effective chairmanship of the Consultative Meetings.

On the eve of the 35th anniversary of the independence of the countries in the region, the President of Uzbekistan highly commended the achievements of all the countries in consolidating statehood, achieving sustained economic growth, and advancing national renewal.

“Thanks to joint efforts, Central Asia is now consolidating in pursuit of shared development goals”, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized.

Considering the complex and unpredictable international landscape, he urged participants to take more decisive actions and enhance coordination. Uzbekistan’s President highlighted that Azerbaijan joining the Consultative Meetings format raises regional cooperation to a new, higher level.

“We are facing a historic opportunity to create a unified development space linking Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and our close neighbor, Afghanistan”, the Leader of Uzbekistan said.

To strengthen the foundation for sustainable development, interconnectedness, and good-neighborliness among the states of Central Asia and Azerbaijan, a vision outlining the priorities of regional cooperation was presented.

First and foremost, the importance of developing a stable architecture for regional interaction was noted, based on effective cooperation institutions, close contacts among sectoral departments, direct ties between regions, and long-term joint programs in key areas of development.

The need to strengthen coordination within intergovernmental organizations and the “Central Asia Plus” formats, which help enhance the region’s international standing, was emphasized.

Further steps to enhance trade, economic, and transport linkages, broaden end-to-end industrial and technological value chains, develop shared digital services, and establish investment platforms need more detailed explanation.

Transforming Central Asia into a competitive hub for education, science, and innovation was highlighted as a promising task to be achieved by creating an integrated infrastructure that combines human resources, artificial intelligence technologies, data centers, and energy capacity.

It was particularly emphasized that environmental protection has always been and remains a key priority on the regional agenda. The challenges arising in our shared natural environment do not recognize state borders, so the response to them must also be shared.

“This summer’s extreme heat has once again demonstrated that climate change is already a factor directly affecting the economy, water and energy security, public health, and quality of life. It is essential to develop long-term solutions for our collective adaptation to these emerging risks”, the President of Uzbekistan noted.

The humanitarian dimension was highlighted as one of the enduring priorities of cooperation. The peoples of the region have lived side by side for centuries, developing trade and exchanging knowledge and cultural traditions. As cooperation deepens, the sense of community among the peoples of the region continues to grow stronger.

“While preserving the unique national identities of our peoples, a common regional identity is gradually taking shape. I am confident that the qualitative renewal of our work in this area will further strengthen unity, solidarity, and mutual understanding among our peoples”, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized.

Concluding his address, the President of Uzbekistan expressed his deep conviction that our collective strength lies in unity, mutual trust, and a firm commitment to working together to build a better future.

The summit also featured speeches by the leaders of the Central Asian states and Azerbaijan, who shared their assessments of the current state and prospects for regional cooperation.

Following the summit, the Cholpon-Ata Declaration was adopted.