Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 14-15 August 2025, the eighth Central Asian Expert Forum (CAEF) will take place in Tashkent under the theme “Central Asia – A Common Space of Trust, Security, and Sustainable Development.”

Established in 2018, the CAEF is held annually in the country presiding over the Consultative Meeting of Central Asian Heads of State. The forum serves as an important platform for discussing the current state and prospects of regional cooperation, as well as for formulating recommendations aimed at further advancing collaboration across Central Asia.

The forum is organized by the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (ISMI). Partners of the event include the Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia, the European Union Delegation to Uzbekistan, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

Central Asia will traditionally be represented at the forum by leaders and experts from strategic institutions, research centers, and academic circles of the region’s countries. For the first time, prominent experts from the EU, ASEAN, the Nordic Council, as well as researchers from Russia, the USA, the UK, Switzerland, and Azerbaijan have been invited to participate to exchange experience on regional studies.

The event’s comprehensive program includes discussions on deepening regional cooperation and identifying specific measures to promote multifaceted interaction.

Additionally, the forum will feature separate events: a scientific and practical conference on the formation of regional identity and a roundtable focused on prospects for establishing partnerships in the “Central Asia–Northern Europe” format.

The upcoming expert dialogue is expected to identify areas of shared interest and establish guidelines for the future development of Central Asia.

The recommendations developed will make an important contribution to enriching the agenda of the forthcoming Consultative Meeting of Central Asian Heads of State, scheduled to be held this year in Uzbekistan.