Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan: Alliance as a Strategic Choice

The state visit of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the Kyrgyz Republic marked the transition of relations between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan to a fundamentally new level. The principal outcome of the visit was the signing of the Treaty on Allied Relations, elevating bilateral cooperation beyond the framework of the strategic partnership that had previously defined relations between the two countries.

Whereas a strategic partnership provides the foundation for political dialogue and expands cooperation across key areas, an alliance implies a deeper level of mutual responsibility. It reflects both sides’ readiness to support one another, coordinate approaches to regional security, jointly respond to emerging challenges, and implement long-term projects of strategic importance to both countries.

An important institutional feature of this new stage is the establishment of the Supreme Interstate Council, which will serve as the highest forum for the regular consideration of bilateral issues and provide additional momentum for implementing the agreements reached by the two sides.

Notably, the visit occurred amid intensifying regional dialogue. During his stay in Kyrgyzstan, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev also attended the Informal Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and Azerbaijan.

The very fact that such meetings are taking place demonstrates that the countries of the region increasingly view Central Asia as a single space of shared interests, where issues related to security, economic development, transport, energy, and sustainable development require coordinated approaches.

In recent years, a network of allied relations has gradually taken shape across Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan has become the third Central Asian country, after Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, with which Uzbekistan has formalized allied relations. Together with the Concept of Regional Security, Stability and Sustainable Development of Central Asia, adopted at the Tashkent Summit in November 2025, this development reflects the region’s gradual transition to a new level of cooperation – the emergence of a regional security community.

This involves creating a regional space in which states jointly safeguard stability, coordinate their responses to common challenges, and view security as a comprehensive concept encompassing political stability, economic development, transport connectivity, water and energy cooperation, and environmental security.

Returning to the state visit itself, one of its most striking features is the profound evolution of the agenda for relations between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Only a few years ago, much of the bilateral agenda focused on resolving outstanding issues along the state border. Today, however, the priorities are fundamentally different. The two leaders are discussing industrial cooperation, expanding trade, launching major investment projects, modernizing transportation infrastructure, and deepening humanitarian ties. This transformation has been made possible by the exceptionally high level of political trust between the leaders of the two countries.

The new status of bilateral relations has already been translated into concrete economic commitments. Following the talks, the two sides reaffirmed their intention to increase bilateral trade to USD 3 billion, establish new joint ventures, develop sustainable production chains, and jointly access third-country markets with products manufactured through bilateral industrial cooperation.

A logical continuation of these agreements was the signing of the Action Plan for Practical Cooperation in the Agro-Industrial Sector for 2026-2027. Its implementation is expected to facilitate the creation of integrated agro-industrial value chains, increase exports of high-value processed agricultural products, and enhance producers’ competitiveness in both countries.

Equally important is that deeper cooperation in the agro-industrial sector will strengthen the food security of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan by enhancing the resilience of supply chains, expanding joint production, and making more efficient use of the agricultural potential of both countries.

In addition, the two sides agreed to enhance the activities of the Uzbek-Kyrgyz Development Fund to expand financing opportunities for joint investment projects.

Strengthening transport connectivity remains a central priority of bilateral cooperation. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev described the construction of the China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan railway as the “project of the century” that will transform the region’s geopolitical landscape. The significance of this project extends far beyond creating a new transit route.

The two countries agreed to jointly develop trade and logistics infrastructure along the railway corridor, actively introduce digital solutions into trade and transport procedures, and create more favorable conditions for road transport operators. These measures will facilitate the development of a fully integrated production and logistics hub that combines transport, warehousing, industrial, and commercial infrastructure.

The development of border regions is also expected to receive additional impetus. The parties agreed to increase the number of border crossing points along the Uzbekistan – Kyrgyzstan border, upgrade their infrastructure, and, on a reciprocal basis, simplify the rules governing citizens’ stays in each other’s countries.

These decisions will contribute to expanding cross-border trade, developing tourism, strengthening business ties, and closer cooperation between the regions of the two countries.

In essence, the border is being transformed from a line of division into a space for active economic and humanitarian cooperation. An important continuation of this process will be the implementation of the Action Plan for Cultural Cooperation and the Joint Action Plan for Tourism Cooperation for 2026-2027. These documents will promote broader cultural exchanges, strengthen people-to-people ties, and create additional opportunities for further growth in tourist flows, which have already reached record levels.

In this context, the signing of the Agreement on the Joint Use of the Chashma Spring warrants particular attention. The agreement provides another example of the two countries’ ability to reach mutually acceptable solutions on sensitive issues through dialogue and careful consideration of each other’s interests. Arrangements of this kind strengthen mutual trust and establish practical mechanisms for the joint management of shared resources in border areas.

The high level of mutual trust was further underscored by the decision to award the President of Uzbekistan the Order of Manas, First Class – the highest state decoration of the Kyrgyz Republic. The award recognizes his personal contribution to strengthening relations between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan and advancing the policy of good-neighborliness in Central Asia.

Ultimately, the significance of the visit lies not merely in the number of documents signed, but in the consolidation of a fundamentally new quality of bilateral relations. Allied relations provide a long-term foundation for further rapprochement between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, opening new opportunities to expand economic cooperation, implement joint infrastructure projects, and strengthen humanitarian ties.

At the same time, this new format of relations creates favorable conditions for closer cooperation across Central Asia as a whole. As Uzbekistan continues to develop allied relations with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, a new model of regional cooperation is taking shape – one based on trust, mutual benefit, and the shared use of the region's opportunities.

In this context, the alliance between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan represents not only a significant milestone in bilateral relations but also an important contribution to the emergence of a more stable, interconnected, and economically resilient Central Asia.

Azamat Sulimanov,

Head of Department,

Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (ISRS)