Central Asia Shapes Investment Agenda At 81St UN General Assembly
Alongside international security, sustainable development and climate issues, investment, transport connectivity, industrial cooperation and international financing are becoming increasingly prominent in statements by regional representatives and meetings held on the sidelines of the session.
For the five countries, these issues are particularly relevant as intra-regional trade and investment continue to grow, while external partners are showing greater interest in Central Asia's transport potential, energy sector, industry and critical minerals.
This economic agenda, however, predates the current session. In recent years, the countries of the region have increasingly used international platforms to promote closer economic ties within Central Asia, presenting the region not only as a group of national markets, but also as a space for investment, production and transit.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in 2025 that international investment cooperation needed to adapt to a new economic reality.“We are witnessing growing fragmentation and politicization of investment flows. As a result, global foreign direct investment fell to $1.5 trillion last year. Kazakhstan strongly advocates expanding international cooperation in investment,” he said.
According to Tokayev, Kazakhstan has attracted more than $400 billion in investment over 30 years of independence. For Astana, however, attracting capital is closely linked to transport infrastructure.“We are investing tens of billions of dollars in transport and transit infrastructure, including the Belt and Road Initiative, the North-South Transport Corridor and the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor,” the Kazakh President said.
He also said Kazakhstan, located at the center of Eurasia, was ready to play a key role as a logistics hub handling 80% of overland transit between Asia and Europe.
For Kazakhstan, transport is therefore not only an infrastructure issue. The development of corridors is also seen as a way to connect production, markets and investment flows between Asia and Europe.
This approach remains relevant in 2026. At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, Tokayev said:“We consider it important to move from agreements to concrete initiatives,” referring to the creation of an SCO trade and investment space, the establishment of pilot industrial consortia and an SCO Development Bank. Kazakhstan has offered to host the headquarters of such a bank.
At the same time, Kazakhstan continues to use international platforms to develop economic and institutional ties. On the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, head of the Kazakh delegation and Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi held a number of bilateral meetings, as well as talks with UNCTAD and other international organizations. Foreign ministers from the Central Asian countries also held consultations in New York.
Uzbekistan links investment to regional integration
Uzbekistan is pursuing a somewhat different but closely related approach. Speaking at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in 2025, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev highlighted the growth of economic ties within Central Asia.
“In recent years, the volume of mutual trade, investment and cargo transportation in our region has increased fivefold. We are implementing joint investment funds, cross-border trade and industrial cooperation zones, and major infrastructure projects,” he said.
Regional economic integration has also become one of the initiatives formally addressed within the UN system. On May 20, 2026, the UN General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution titled“Strengthening regional cooperation and economic integration for sustainable development in the Central Asian region.” The document has 66 co-sponsors.
This is significant not only as a sign of diplomatic support. The resolution shows that the idea of closer economic ties among the five countries has moved from a regional format to a universal UN platform.
At the same time, Uzbekistan continues to expand its own investment base. Speaking at the Tashkent International Investment Forum in 2026, Mirziyoyev said:“Over the years, Uzbekistan has attracted more than $150 billion in foreign investment, of which $123 billion has been attracted over the past five years alone. We have always been open to investors and are ready to build equal and mutually beneficial partnerships.”
According to him, Uzbekistan's GDP growth reached 7.7% in 2025, foreign investment totaled $43 billion, and international reserves exceeded $70 billion.
The country is also promoting the establishment of the Tashkent International Financial Center and has proposed creating a regional investment alliance focused on critical minerals.
Investment is therefore becoming increasingly linked to regional integration in Tashkent's economic agenda, particularly through the creation of new channels for capital.
Tajikistan: climate, water and international financing
Tajikistan is also contributing to the region's investment agenda, although Dushanbe's focus differs from those of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The emphasis is on climate vulnerability, water resources and developing countries' access to international financing.
Speaking at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in 2025, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon called for international financial mechanisms to be reconsidered in light of the needs of mountainous and landlocked developing countries.
“Today, it is time to consider writing off the debts of the most vulnerable countries,” he said, linking the issue to the need for a fairer international financial system.
For Dushanbe, the financing issue is directly connected to the climate agenda. According to Rahmon, Tajikistan's glaciers and other water sources provide up to 60% of Central Asia's water resources, while more than 1,300 glaciers in the country have already disappeared.
As a result, investment in water infrastructure and climate adaptation is viewed in Dushanbe not only as an environmental priority, but also as part of the region's long-term economic resilience.
Tajikistan is promoting this agenda through the Dushanbe Water Process and initiatives within the UN system.
At the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, Tajikistan is represented in the general debate by Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin. The country's priorities include water resources, climate finance and the use of new technologies for sustainable development.
Artificial intelligence is another area of focus. In July 2025, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution initiated by Tajikistan on“The role of artificial intelligence in creating new opportunities for sustainable development in Central Asia.” Dushanbe has also proposed establishing a regional center for artificial intelligence.
The Tajik agenda thus broadens the investment dimension of the regional discussion. Alongside traditional infrastructure, it includes financing for climate adaptation, water projects and digital development.
Turkmenistan focuses on transport connectivity
Turkmenistan places particular emphasis on transport, energy and market connectivity in its economic agenda.
At the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in 2025, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov reaffirmed the country's commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and proposed declaring 2026–2035 the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport.
Speaking about the international system, he said:“Today, we are witnessing a weakening of the role of international institutions, growing contradictions, conflicts and wars around the world, as well as a sharp increase in technological and social inequality.”
For Ashgabat, transport remains one of the main elements of its economic agenda. At the Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia in Tashkent in November 2025, Serdar Berdimuhamedov identified transport, energy, trade, as well as industrial and technological cooperation as strategic areas for further economic cooperation among the countries of the region.
This approach remains part of Turkmenistan's current agenda. The country's priorities include developing transport connectivity, ensuring reliable energy routes and promoting transregional corridors connecting Central and South Asia with Europe via the Caspian Sea.
Turkmenistan entered the 81st session with one of the region's most detailed programs. At a briefing devoted to the country's priorities for the session, Rovshen Annaberdiev, head of the International Organizations Department at the Turkmen Foreign Ministry, presented Ashgabat's comprehensive program of action. He said Turkmenistan was entering the session with a substantive agenda based on the principles of permanent neutrality, preventive diplomacy and strengthening international trust.
According to him, the focus will be on translating political proposals into practical international cooperation through the creation of new platforms, mechanisms and partnerships, as well as the implementation of concrete projects under the auspices of the UN.
The priorities are grouped into five areas: peace, security and neutrality; sustainable development and transport; energy, climate and the environment; humanitarian cooperation; and international law and participation in UN activities.
The transport component is the one most closely linked to the investment agenda. The UN Decade of Sustainable Transport resolution initiated by Turkmenistan is one example of how the region's transport agenda is being given institutional form within the UN system.
New York as a platform for new contacts
The 81st session of the UN General Assembly shows that the political and economic diplomacy of Central Asian countries are developing in parallel.
Saida Mirziyoyeva, head of the Presidential Administration and Uzbekistan's representative at the general debate, met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on September 21.
“We discussed all the key areas that Uzbekistan and the UN are developing together. At this difficult time for the international system, I thank Mr. Guterres for his strong global leadership and support for our country across all key areas of security,” she said following the meeting.
While investment was not the sole focus of the discussions, the meeting came as Uzbekistan has stepped up its international contacts on economic issues.
For Kyrgyzstan, the economic component of its current engagement in New York has also included specific business contacts.
President Sadyr Japarov held meetings with Wabtec, StoneX Group and Citibank. In particular, a contract was signed with Wabtec for the supply of 10 freight locomotives, while memorandums related to financial cooperation and precious metals were signed with financial companies.
At the same time, Kyrgyzstan is bringing projects requiring long-term financing to the international agenda. At the 81st session, Japarov called on the UN, international financial institutions and donor countries to establish a special joint trust fund for the preservation of Lake Issyk-Kul.“Taking this opportunity, I officially call on the United Nations, international financial institutions and donor countries to support our initiative and establish, under the auspices of the Organization, a special joint trust fund for the preservation of Lake Issyk-Kul,” he said.
Kyrgyzstan is prepared to contribute $10 million to the fund. “To confirm our intentions with concrete actions, we are ready to contribute $10 million from the state budget to this fund,” Japarov said.
This example highlights another dimension of the region's economic diplomacy: the focus is not only on attracting commercial capital, but also on securing international financing for projects related to climate, water and sustainable development.
The region as an investment story
At the 2025 consultative meetings of the Central Asian heads of state, it was noted that intra-regional trade had reached $10.7 billion, while total investment had increased by 17%.
Against this backdrop, the way Central Asia presents itself on external platforms is also changing.
Several years ago, the investment agenda was largely built around individual countries: Kazakhstan promoted oil and gas, mining and transport projects; Uzbekistan focused on industry and its growing consumer market; Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan emphasized energy and infrastructure; and Turkmenistan focused on gas and transport.
The regional dimension is now becoming increasingly important. Transport corridors connect several countries. Power projects require regional coordination. Industrial cooperation allows production to be distributed across markets. Critical minerals could become the basis for new supply chains. Financial mechanisms can support projects that extend beyond a single economy.
This is why economic integration has become a separate focus of a UN General Assembly resolution. At the same time, it would be premature to describe Central Asia as a fully integrated single investment market. The five countries continue to have different economic models and investment priorities.
The regional economic dimension, however, is becoming more visible. The countries are increasingly seeking to present their national advantages as part of a broader economic narrative that is relevant to external investors and international financial institutions.
Against this backdrop, the 81st session of the UN General Assembly has become another platform where this agenda is being shaped simultaneously at the international, regional and bilateral levels.
For Central Asia, the next challenge is not only to promote initiatives, but also to translate them into practical outcomes - securing financing, launching projects and building sustainable mechanisms for regional cooperation.
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