In brief
In late October, legislators from five Central Asian states gathered in Dushanbe for the fourth Inter‑Parliamentary Forum. Chaired by Tajikistan’s parliament chair Rustam Emomali, the meeting focused on building a new system of regional cooperation, highlighted the role of parliaments, and adopted the Dushanbe Declaration to deepen inter‑parliamentary ties. The forum also underscored prospects such as potential annual savings of $120 million in electricity across the region, as noted by lawmakers in a separate discussion on October 27.
On October 29, 2026, lawmakers from the five Central Asian states—Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan—met in Dushanbe for the fourth Inter‑Parliamentary Forum of Central Asian States. The gathering took place under the theme “Unity for the Sake of Peace, Security, and Prosperity in Central Asia.”
The forum was chaired by Rustam Emomali, chairman of the National Assembly of Tajikistan and mayor of Dushanbe. In his address, Emomali noted that a new system of regional cooperation was gradually taking shape, stressing that the process was based on aligning national interests and expanding mutually beneficial cooperation to strengthen the region’s economic potential amid changing geopolitical conditions. He also emphasized the important role of parliaments in strengthening the legal foundation for regional cooperation, implementing agreements reached and facilitating their practical implementation.
Representatives of the parliaments of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan participated in the discussion. The delegates expressed confidence that the meeting would help strengthen inter‑parliamentary cooperation and promote friendly and mutually beneficial ties among Central Asian countries.
During the forum, the Dushanbe Declaration was adopted. The declaration affirmed confidence in stronger inter‑parliamentary ties and mutual benefits, and it urged continued collaboration on a range of issues, from economic integration to regional security.
In a separate discussion reported on October 27, Central Asian lawmakers highlighted the potential for the region to unlock $120 million in annual savings through electricity cooperation. The statement, reported by the Astana Times, reflected the broader theme of unity and integration that ran through the forum.
While the Xinhua report focused primarily on the forum’s thematic objectives and the role of Tajikistan’s parliament leadership, the Astana Times’ snippet added a concrete example of the kind of economic cooperation the lawmakers were pursuing. Both accounts present a picture of a region working to deepen cooperation through parliamentary mechanisms and to explore practical benefits such as energy savings.
