https://ijmri.de/index.php/jmsi
volume 4, issue 4, 2025
281
THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF THE GULF REGION IN UZBEKISTAN'S
GEOPOLITICS
Hilola Iskandarova
TSUOS,3rd-year student of the "International Relations" faculty
+998953373937
hilolaiskandarova330@gmail.com
Annotation:
This article highlights the strategic opportunities and goals of Uzbekistan in
relation to the Gulf countries, joint cooperation projects, regionally implemented initiatives,
recent meetings and the decisions made within their framework, as well as the objectives and
content of the planned projects.
Keywords:
Investments, bilateral cooperation, trade turnover, ACWA Power, religious
cooperation, diplomatic relations, “Uzbekistanis” forum, secure transport and logistics corridor,
visa-free zone.
Introduction:
The Gulf Arab states, Iran, and Iraq, which have traditionally been Uzbekistan’s
partner countries, have established close and friendly relations with our country since the early
years of independence. The states that make up the globally powerful "Arab Six" — Saudi
Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, the Sultanate of Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain — are
significant not only because of their dominance in oil and gas reserves but also for their role as
donors to many developing countries around the world. Furthermore, these states are the main
founders and vital driving forces of international intergovernmental organizations such as the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Islamic Development Bank. Due to economic,
energy, and geopolitical factors, the Gulf region holds strategic importance for Uzbekistan.
Being a landlocked country in Central Asia, Uzbekistan considers the Persian Gulf as a key
economic partner for trade and investment. Moreover, the Persian Gulf countries are major
suppliers of energy resources, and ensuring stable energy imports is very important for
Uzbekistan’s economy. Geopolitically, the stability of the Persian Gulf region is connected to
regional security — any disturbances in the region could affect Uzbekistan. Collaborative efforts
and diplomatic relations with the Persian Gulf offer Uzbekistan the opportunity to overcome
geopolitical challenges and contribute to regional stability. The Persian Gulf region plays a
decisive role in shaping Uzbekistan's geopolitical and economic strategies. Uzbekistan’s strategy
to access the South passes precisely through this region. Especially, the projects implemented
with Saudi Arabia in recent years are of great significance. The high level of bilateral
cooperation and the role of the two countries’ leaders in developing partnership relations are
specifically emphasized. The opening of the Qatari embassy in Tashkent this year is clear
evidence of the development of cooperation with Qatar.
Method of Analysis:
This article uses the Event analysis method.
Results:
A general approach to cooperation with the Persian Gulf countries provides Uzbekistan
with opportunities to expand its capabilities in economic, energy, and security sectors.
Geopolitically, the Persian Gulf provides Uzbekistan with access to global freight corridors,
improves its geopolitical standing, and expands opportunities for trade and economic cooperation.
https://ijmri.de/index.php/jmsi
volume 4, issue 4, 2025
282
At the same time, cooperation with the Gulf helps Uzbekistan diversify its agriculture- and
extractive industry-based economy by integrating into global trade networks. Uzbekistan can
attract investment from the Persian Gulf countries to support its infrastructure projects, energy,
and other key sectors. It is known that Uzbekistan has established legal foundations for mutually
beneficial bilateral and multilateral cooperation with the Gulf Arab states in the fields of
economy, investment, finance, tourism, transport communications, and green economy,
including within the frameworks of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Islamic
Development Bank. Uzbekistan has signed around 100 international agreements with these
countries.
As stipulated in Decree No. PF-158 signed by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on
September 11, 2023, as part of the “Uzbekistan – 2030” Strategy, cooperation with the Gulf
countries is of great importance in achieving goals such as deepening Uzbekistan’s integration
into global transport-logistics networks, increasing the potential of the national transport system,
transitioning to a “green economy,” significantly increasing the use of renewable energy, and
ensuring uninterrupted energy supply to economic sectors and the population (PF-158, 2023,
p.19, 20).
Recent negotiations on investment cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan confirm
Riyadh’s strategy of financially supporting infrastructure projects of local governments in
Central Asia and providing humanitarian assistance (Giuliano Bifolchi, 29.03.2023, Geopolitical
Report). On March 26, 2023, Deputy Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan
Oybek Hamrayev held an online meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of Investment
Muhammad al-Hasan to discuss the implementation of investment cooperation between the two
countries. The negotiators exchanged views on implementing several joint projects and on
upcoming business meetings and roundtables involving representatives of the business
communities of both countries.
On one hand, Uzbekistan needs to diversify its economy and attract foreign investors, while
Saudi Arabia can support Tashkent’s strategy. On the other hand, recent talks emphasized Saudi
Arabia’s efforts to expand its presence and strategy in Uzbekistan and, by extension, in Central
Asia. As Central Asia plays a strategic role on the Eurasian chessboard and is becoming a link
and logistics hub between Europe and Asia, Riyadh has strengthened cooperation with local
governments. Earlier, on March 13, 2023, in Riyadh, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, received the Special
Representative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Foreign Policy Abdulaziz
Kamilov. During the meeting, the parties reviewed bilateral relations and ways to develop and
strengthen them in all areas, discussed regional and international developments, and addressed
the activation of joint and multilateral coordination.
The volume of bilateral trade between Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan reached 95 million USD in
the first half of 2022, which is a significant increase considering that in 2019, the trade turnover
barely exceeded 17 million USD (Giuliano Bifolchi, 2023, Geopolitical Report). Also, in January
of this year in Tashkent, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for a thermal power plant with a
1500 MW steam-gas facility in Sirdaryo, and investment agreements were signed between the
company “ACWA Power” and the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Republic of
Uzbekistan for the construction of two wind power plants with a total capacity of 1000 MW in
the Navoi and Bukhara regions. These projects aim to provide uninterrupted electricity supply to
Uzbekistan's national energy system. Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Investment, Khalid Al-Falih,
emphasized the need for direct import and export relations between Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan,
noting that the majority of trade between the two countries currently goes through Turkey and
the United Arab Emirates.
https://ijmri.de/index.php/jmsi
volume 4, issue 4, 2025
283
Earlier, the Saudi Development Fund announced an investment of 50 million USD in several
projects, including the construction of a hospital in Tashkent. Agreements have also been signed
between the two countries in the areas of agriculture, tourism, and infrastructure development.
Additionally, shared religious, cultural, and historical features can serve as a strong foundation
for diplomatic relations and people-to-people ties. The Kingdom has also allocated scholarships
for Central Asian students to study in Saudi Arabia, which has helped strengthen interpersonal
relations. However, geographic distance may pose challenges in terms of logistics and
connectivity.
The GulfCA Corporation, established in the United States by Uzbeks, will act as an intermediary
to attract investment and business projects worth 10 billion USD from the Arab states of the
Persian Gulf—particularly Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar—by 2030
(UzReport.news, 20.08.2023). This was announced by Alisher Jumanov, founder of GulfCA and
organizer of several successful investment banks in 22 countries, during the “Uzbekistanis”
forum held in London.
“For several years now, our team has aimed to attract investment to our region,, especially to our
homeland, Uzbekistan, and to bring major international companies into these markets. Over the
past few months, we have communicated with finance professionals originally from Uzbekistan
who are working in different parts of the world, and we have finally decided to launch this
initiative, utilizing the potential of specialists from Central Asia and Uzbekistan who operate
globally,” said Jumanov in his presentation at the “Uzbekistanis” forum (UzReport.news,
20.08.2023). On June 7, 2023, in Samarkand, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan,
Shavkat Mirziyoyev, met with the Emir of Qatar and signed 15 documents aimed at developing
cooperation (mfa.uz, 07.06.2023). During the meeting, it was emphasized that a “comprehensive
partnership” is developing between the two countries in various sectors. The leaders also agreed
to increase the volume of trade between their nations. The President of Uzbekistan expressed
confidence that this first high-level visit in the history of diplomatic relations would mark a new
phase in bilateral cooperation and elevate it to the level of comprehensive partnership.
“We see Qatar not only as a promising partner in the Middle East but in the entire Arab-Muslim
world. In recent years, thanks to our dialogue, we have made real progress in bilateral relations,”
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev stated in his speech (mfa.uz, 07.06.2023).
“I am pleased to see all of you today at the first high-level summit of the 'Gulf Arab States –
Central Asia.' We had long awaited this historic meeting in the beautiful and unique city of
Jeddah, the symbolic gateway to the sacred city of Mecca.
The peoples of Central Asia and the Gulf region have long been connected by close trade
relations, shared values and traditions, and most importantly, by our holy religion of Islam. We
proudly recall the invaluable contributions of our great scholars and ancestors to the
development of historical ties between the lands of Transoxiana (also referred to as
Mawarannahr in classic Islamic sources) and Arabia. One such figure is the great hadith scholar
Imam Bukhari, known as 'the leader of all muhaddiths.' It is a source of pride that two of the six
greatest hadith scholars of the Muslim world were born and raised in our region, and that ancient
Bukhara gained fame under the name 'Qubbatul Islam'”, said President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in
his speech (president.uz, 19.07.2023).
In August 2020, a bilateral video conference was organized to develop relations between Oman
and Uzbekistan (Oman and Uzbekistan… 19.08.2020). At the same time, there is a transport
corridor connecting Uzbekistan with Oman and providing Uzbekistan with access to the sea,
while also potentially opening the Central Asian market to the Gulf Arab states—this is the
“Uzbekistan–Turkmenistan–Iran–Oman” transport corridor. The Ministry of Investments,
https://ijmri.de/index.php/jmsi
volume 4, issue 4, 2025
284
Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan signed export contracts with firms from the United Arab
Emirates (UAE) to supply products worth more than 73 million USD. Uzbekistan exports raw
cotton, silk, and agricultural products to the UAE, as well as mechanical and electrical
equipment, coffee, tea, furniture, plastic and rubber goods, vehicles, clothing, and sports
equipment.
A roundtable discussion was held at the Central Asia International Institute on the topic “Arab
States of the Gulf – Central Asia: Priorities and Prospects” (Luke Coffey, 21.07.2023, Now is
the…). The event was attended by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan,
representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait,
and the Sultanate of Oman, as well as public and political figures. Participants discussed the
outcomes of the first summit between the Gulf Cooperation Council and Central Asian countries
held in Jeddah on July 19–20. Uzbekistan’s leadership emphasized the importance of developing
comprehensive cooperation in the political sphere through various formats (M. Mirhamidova,
25.07.2023, Gulf…). It was proposed to explore the development of a multilateral agreement on
Friendship, Interregional Connectivity, and Cooperation to bring the brotherly nations and
peoples even closer together.
The second area of focus is cooperation in high technology and investments. The President of
Uzbekistan noted the necessity of creating cooperation platforms and working mechanisms in
areas such as innovation, artificial intelligence, the green economy, digitalization, smart
agriculture, nanotechnology, and biotechnology.
The third direction involves strengthening trade and transport connectivity. Our national leader
emphasized the urgency of establishing a free trade regime with the Gulf states, harmonizing
technical regulations, and developing e-commerce. In this regard, a proposal was made to
develop and adopt a multilateral trade agreement.
The fourth area pertains to environmental and climate change issues. The importance of
launching a joint international research program based on the newly established University for
Environmental and Climate Change Studies in Central Asia was highlighted.
Participants’ attention was also drawn to the fifth area—tourism. It was proposed to create a
single visa-free tourism zone titled “Gulf–Central Asia,” develop modern tourism clusters
targeting tourists, increase the number of joint tourism products, and hold a forum for leading
tourism operators of both regions in Khiva, which has been declared the Tourism Capital of the
Islamic World for 2024.
It was especially notable that the summit participants supported Uzbekistan’s proposal to host
the next high-level meeting within the format “Central Asia – Gulf Cooperation Council” in the
city of Samarkand.
Discussion:
Central Asia is situated at a decisive geopolitical crossroads, and Uzbekistan lies at
the heart of the region. Muslims, Christians, and Jews—alongside Turkic, Slavic, and Persian
peoples—have lived together for centuries on these vast steppes. Located between Europe and
Asia, Central Asia sits between two major energy-consuming markets. For millennia, the region
served as one of the main routes of East-West trade across the Eurasian landmass. Today,
billions of dollars are being invested to connect the region with the rest of the world. Like the
rumble of wheels on rails, new and modernized roads, pipelines, fiber-optic cables, and railway
lines are being built to link Central Asia with East Asia, Europe, and South Asia. There is also
potential to develop new ties with the Middle East. At last week’s summit in Jeddah, the Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC) and Central Asian states agreed on a Joint Action Plan for Strategic
https://ijmri.de/index.php/jmsi
volume 4, issue 4, 2025
285
Dialogue and Cooperation (Luke Coffey, 2023, Now is the…). Covering the period from 2023 to
2027, the plan opens up opportunities for deepening economic, trade, security, and cultural
relations on both sides. Looking ahead, members of the Gulf Cooperation Council could take
four key steps to enhance relations with Central Asian republics:
First, the GCC should appoint a Special Envoy for Central Asia. This person would serve as the
primary interlocutor for the Gulf states in the region and devote the time and effort necessary to
build personal relationships across Central Asia. This would help maintain continuity between
GCC-C5 summits.
Secondly, Gulf policymakers must resist the temptation to view the five Central Asian republics
as a single bloc. The region consists of five independent territories and sovereign states. While
they may share certain aspects of a common history, each of them maintains its own unique
identity, culture, and global outlook. Therefore, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) may
pursue closer cooperation with some Central Asian republics more than with others.
Policymakers must bear this in mind when formulating policies for the region.
Thirdly, the GCC must prioritize connectivity between the two regions. The "Dry Canal
Corridor" project, which aims to establish a link between the southern Gulf coast of Iraq and
Turkish ports by 2038, is already in progress. With creative and ambitious thinking, the Gulf
states could leverage this project to bypass Russia and Iran, and connect with the Central Asian
markets via Turkey through the tested trade route of the Middle Corridor, which passes through
the South Caucasus. Air connectivity between the regions should also be implemented.
Fourthly, the GCC should consult and, when necessary, coordinate with Turkey. In recent years,
Turkey’s economic, cultural, and security influence has grown across Central Asia. Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan are Turkic in terms of culture and language, which
explains their close ties with Turkey. These four Central Asian countries are also members of the
Organization of Turkic States. It is worth considering a summit between this organization and
the GCC. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s tour across the Gulf just days before the
GCC-C5 summit was either a fortunate geopolitical coincidence or a sign of strategic foresight
by Gulf policymakers.
The next GCC-C5 summit will take place next year in Uzbekistan’s city of Samarkand. The ties
between the Arab world and Samarkand date back centuries. When the famous 10th-century
Arab geographer and writer Ibn Hawqal visited Samarkand in the year 977 CE, he wrote:
“Wherever you look in the city, you see beautiful places and feel comfort and pleasure.” Holding
the next meeting in Central Asia is not only appropriate but also historically and symbolically
significant. As one of the most important cities along the ancient Silk Road, Samarkand
represents both the glorious past and the promising future of Central Asia.
References:
1. Giuliano Bifolchi (March 21, 2023) “Geopolitical Report” ISSN 2785-2598 Volume 29 Issue
11 Retrieved from
https://www.specialeurasia.com/2023/03/29/saudi-arabia-uzbekistan/
2. $10 billion to be attracted to Uzbekistan from Gulf countries until 2030 (October 20, 2023)
Retrieved from
https://kun.uz/en/news/2023/10/20/10-billion-to-be-attracted-to-uzbekistan-from-
3. Uzbekistan and Qatar sign 15 documents to boost cooperation (June 7, 2023) Tashqi ishlar
vazirligining rasmiy sayti Retrieved from
https://mfa.uz/uz/press/news/2023/the-president-of-
uzbekistan-and-the-amir-of-qatar-agreed-to-take-bilateral-cooperation-to-a-new-level---34055
https://ijmri.de/index.php/jmsi
volume 4, issue 4, 2025
286
4. Luke Coffey (July 21, 2023) Now Is the Time for Gulf Nations to Enhance Ties with Central
Asia Retrieved from
https://www.hudson.org/foreign-policy/now-time-gulf-nations-enhance-
5. Cooperation between Central Asia and the Gulf Cooperation Council intensifies (July 23,
2023) Retrieved from
https://uza.uz/en/posts/cooperation-between-central-asia-and-the-gulf-
cooperation-council-intensifies_504363
6. Kuwait Fund to provide Uzbekistan a loan for $23.8 million (
) Retrieved from
https://www.skyscrapercity.com/threads/uzbekistan-gulf-countries-economic-
7. The official website of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Uzbek President and the
Amir of Qatar Agree to Take Bilateral Cooperation to a New Level (June 06, 2023) Retrieved
from
https://president.uz/en/lists/view/6408
8. Promising Bilateral Ties Between Uzbekistan and Qatar (June 12, 2019) Retrieved from
https://www.berlinglobal.org/index.php?promising-bilateral-ties-between-uzbekistan-and-qatar
9. "Mahinnora Mirhamidova, Associate Professor at the University of World Economy and
Diplomacy (UWED), PhD in Law (July 25, 2023): Cooperation with the Gulf Arab states is
entering a new stage."Retrieved from
https://uza.uz/oz/posts/korfaz-arab-davlatlari-bilan-
hamkorlik-yangi-bosqichda_505086
10. Gulf states ramp up investment in Central Asia (October 11, 2021), Retrived from:
https://emerging-europe.com/news/gulf-states-ramp-up-investment-in-central-asia/
11. Oman and Uzbekistan discuss means to boost bilateral cooperation (August 20, 2020)
https://timesofoman.com/article/3018309/oman/government/oman-and-uzbekistan-discuss-
means-to-boost-bilateral-cooperation
12.
UAE
and
Uzbekistan
sign
$119m
trade
deals
(March
22,
2016)
https://www.tradearabia.com/?/touch/
13. “Decree No. 158 of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, 'Uzbekistan – 2030' Strategy
(September 11, 2023)”.
