By S. Frederick Starr and Svante E. Cornell
Central Asia-Caucasus Analyst
May 12, 2018

Dramatic and important changes are taking place in Central Asia.  For more than a year the region’s historic core and geopolitical focal point has been immersed in a whirlwind of reform without precedent in the region. At a time when one-man rule has been reinforced in China and Russia, when the rule of law is in abeyance in countries as diverse as South Africa and Venezuela, and when most Muslim majority societies appear to be receding into a new authoritarianism informed by religious ideology, Uzbekistan has instituted reforms that are ambitious in aim and extensive in scope.

It is far too early to say how it will all come out, or even how far it will go.  But there is little doubt that that the current reforms are all organized around solid commitment to the rule of law, the rights of citizens, elective governance, an open market economy, religious tolerance, cordial relations with the great powers without sacrificing sovereignty, and a new embrace of the Central Asian region itself as an actor on the world state. It’s time for the world to take stock of this startling development.

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 Opening in Uzbekistan: A Preview of President Mirziyoyev's Visit

Please join the Atlantic Council and the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute of the American Foreign Policy Council for an event entitled Opening in Uzbekistan: A Preview of President Mirziyoyev's Visit on Monday, May 14, 2018 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Atlantic Council headquarters (1030 15th Street NW, 12th Floor, West Tower Elevators).

This May, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan will visit Washington, DC at the invitation of US President Donald J. Trump. The new government under President Mirziyoyev announced political and economic reforms to open Uzbekistan for international cooperation and foreign direct investments. The new regional policy of Tashkent in Central Asia has given dynamism and prospects to solve old issues like border demarcation, a fair share of water resources, extremism and terrorism, and peace building process in Afghanistan.   

The Atlantic Council and the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute of the American Foreign Policy Council are convening a panel to discuss and evaluate President Mirziyoyev’s visit to the White House, along with implications for US-Uzbekistan relations, broader international and regional issues, and overall stability in the region.

We hope you can join us for this timely discussion.

Speakers:

Senator Sodiq Safoev
First Deputy Chairman
Senate of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Dr. Akmal Saidov
Director; Chairman
National Human Rights Centre of the Republic of Uzbekistan; Committee on Democratic Institutions, Non-Governmental Organizations and Citizens' Self-Governing Bodies Committee of the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis 

Ambassador Ismatulla Irgashev
Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Afghanistan
Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Mr. Eldor Aripov
Director, Information and Analytical Center for International Relations
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan 

Ms. Lisa Curtis
Deputy Assistant to the President 
and Senior Director for South and Central Asia
National Security Council

Dr. Frederick Starr
Founder and Chairman 
The Central Asia-Caucasus Institute and the Silk Road Studies Program

Moderator:  Ambassador John Herbst
Director, Eurasia Center
Atlantic Council

Where: The Atlantic Council, 12th Floor (West Tower Elevators), 1030 15th Street, NW

When: Monday, May 14, 2018 from 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm

RSVP: Send to Atlantic Council

 Economic Modernization in Uzbekistan under President Mirziyoyev

Since Shavkat Mirziyoyev became Acting President in September 2016, the Government of Uzbekistan has embarked on a series of far-reaching reforms in practically every area from foreign policy to governance and culture. A key element in the reform agenda has been the modernization of Uzbekistan’s economy. This Forum event marked the launch of another Silk Road Paper that analyzes this reform agenda. “Economic Modernization in Uzbekistan under President Mirziyoyev,” which was released on April 10, authored by Mamuka Tserereli.

The Forum event, moderated by CACI Chairman S. Frederick Starr, featured a summary of the published report, and commentary from representatives of the international financial institutions.

Speaker:

Mamuka Tsereteli, Senior Research Fellow, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute 

Albert Jaeger, Mission Chief for Uzbekistan, IMF 

David M Gould, Lead Economist, Europe and Central Asia Region, World Bank

Moderator:  S. Frederick Starr, Chairman, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute

Where: The Middle East Institute, 1319 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

When: Tuesday, April 10, 2018 from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

RSVP: Send to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or follow the link to Eventbrite