Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 21 January, in Kuala Lumpur, a delegation from Uzbekistan, led by Eldor Aripov, Director of the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (ISMI), participated in a roundtable titled "From Dialogue to Action: Uzbekistan and Malaysia on the Path to Strategic Interaction."

The event was organized with the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Kuala Lumpur, in collaboration with the Institute of Strategic and International Studies of Malaysia (ISIS), the country’s leading think tank.

The roundtable was attended by representatives of Malaysia’s "Friendship Group" in the Parliament, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Institute of Public Administration, the Institute of Diplomacy and International Relations, the Asian Institute for Strategy and Leadership, the Hadari Islamic Institute, and the Regional Center for Southeast Asia’s Counter-Terrorism efforts.

From the Uzbek side, experts from ISMI, the Institute of Macroeconomic and Regional Studies, the "Strategy Development" Center, the International Research Center of Imam Maturidi, and various ministries participated, including those responsible for finance, economy, higher education, science, innovation, and agriculture.

The main agenda of the event was to discuss the current state and future prospects of Uzbekistan-Malaysia cooperation, particularly in strengthening strategic partnerships in politics and security, industrial cooperation, innovation and technology, as well as in education, science, and culture.

In his opening speech, Eldor Aripov emphasized that Uzbekistan-Malaysia relations are currently experiencing a new dynamic.

He noted that trade and investment cooperation has grown rapidly. In recent years, the bilateral trade turnover has increased 2.5 times, and the number of joint ventures in Uzbekistan with Malaysian capital has risen to 37.

Aripov expressed strong confidence that the visit of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to Uzbekistan in May of the previous year had given a significant boost to bilateral cooperation. As a result, a Joint Statement on deepening multi-dimensional cooperation was signed, and an agreement was reached to establish a Uzbek-Malaysian industrial zone in Uzbekistan for the promotion of high-tech projects. Following the Uzbekistan-Malaysia business forum, a significant package of 19 investment agreements totaling over US$3 billion was signed.

Aripov also highlighted the expanding cooperation in education and human resources development. Under Malaysia’s Technical Cooperation Program, more than 850 specialists from Uzbek ministries and agencies have upgraded their qualifications in Malaysia. Currently, around 500 Uzbek students are studying at prestigious Malaysian universities, and 25 cooperation agreements have been signed between educational institutions of the two countries.

According to Aripov, this illustrates the high dynamics of Uzbekistan-Malaysia cooperation.

However, he stressed that the full potential of bilateral relations has yet to be realized. In this context, Aripov pointed to the most promising areas for further collaboration.

Firstly, he emphasized the importance of developing industrial cooperation. He noted that Malaysia’s semiconductor industry, which contributes approximately 25% to the country’s GDP, is of particular interest to Uzbekistan. Malaysia’s advanced experience in the semiconductor sector, including strategic planning, marketing, infrastructure development, and specialist training, could be highly beneficial for Uzbekistan.

Secondly, Aripov highlighted the relevance of expanding collaboration in education, mutual academic exchanges, and workforce training.

He explained that Uzbekistan already hosts around 30 branches of foreign universities and aims to become the educational hub of Central Asia. Uzbekistan is interested in collaborating with Malaysian universities in fields such as energy, Islamic banking, ecology, artificial intelligence, halal industry, and creative economy.

Thirdly, Aripov stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation on combating religious extremism and terrorism. Malaysia has accumulated unique experience in preventing the spread of religiously extremist ideologies. Uzbekistan is also undertaking targeted efforts in this area. Under an initiative by Uzbekistan’s President, the Regional Expert Council on Rehabilitation and Reintegration began its work in May 2024 under the auspices of the UN Counter-Terrorism Office.

Aripov pointed out that effective counter-terrorism efforts require close coordination, not only at the regional level but also globally. One important direction of cooperation could be the exchange of experience and best practices in deradicalization and rehabilitation.

Fourthly, the creation of a dialogue platform in the "Central Asia + ASEAN" format was proposed. Aripov expressed confidence that such interregional cooperation would allow for more effective solutions to transportation and logistics issues and consolidate positions on regional and international development.

Lastly, Aripov stressed the growing importance of expert dialogue in strengthening bilateral cooperation. He suggested establishing a permanent expert platform between the analytical and research centers of Malaysia and Uzbekistan, which would regularly conduct joint research, organize conferences, and roundtables on topics of mutual interest.

At the end of the roundtable, a Cooperation Plan for 2025 was signed between ISMI and ISIS, outlining the establishment of a partnership and regular working contacts between the two countries’ think tanks.