September 6, 2024 
2 min read 
On September 5, 2024, CAPS Unlock made its own little bit of history by holding its first-ever event in Uzbekistan.
The occasion was a day-long discussion forum for trade experts, economists, and policy professionals, held in Tashkent, all dedicated to exploring current state of Central Asia’s foreign trade landscape. The event served as the official launch of a new CAPS Unlock study analyzing regional trade dynamics, authored by economist Yuliy Yusupov.
Yusupov’s presentation outlined the findings of the report, which highlights Central Asia’s continued dependence on China and Russia as trade partners, limited export diversification, and low levels of intraregional trade. He emphasized the vulnerabilities of this structure, especially in light of geopolitical tensions and economic volatility, and stressed the need for structural reforms to expand high-value-added exports and promote regional integration.
The discussion that followed featured contributions from experts across Central Asia, who tackled the barriers holding back trade diversification. These included logistical inefficiencies, customs-related bottlenecks, insufficient infrastructure, and the dominance of raw material exports in national portfolios. Participants also discussed the potential of alternative transport corridors, such as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, to reorient trade flows and reduce reliance on northern routes.
The event was co-hosted by CAPS Unlock and the European Neighborhood Council, bringing together a diverse panel of speakers including Gavkhar Sultanova, Umida Haqnazar, Kanat Tilekeyev, Azimzhan Khitakhunov, and Samuel Doveri Vesterbye.
The conversation explored not only trade patterns, but also broader policy solutions, such as harmonizing customs regulations, creating regional financial markets, and implementing targeted industrial policies.
As its first public initiative in Uzbekistan, this event signaled CAPS Unlock’s commitment to expanding its regional footprint and fostering dialogue on the future of economic cooperation in Central Asia. With growing interest in the region’s role in Eurasian trade, CAPS Unlock plans to build on this momentum with further events and publications in the months ahead.
The event can be viewed in its entirety on our YouTube channel.
