Uzbekistan’s Transit Diplomacy: Shaping Global Norms from the Heart of Eurasia
photo credit: MFA Turkmenistan
From August 5 to 8, the coastal city of Awaza in Turkmenistan is hosting the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3). For Uzbekistan, this forum is not merely about infrastructure and logistics — it is a strategic opportunity to project a coherent external agenda rooted in sovereign development priorities, regional integration, and norm entrepreneurship in global governance.
In the contemporary geopolitical landscape, geography is no longer destiny — it is a structural variable in statecraft. As a landlocked country located over 3,000 kilometers from the nearest seaports, Uzbekistan faces the structural constraints common to all LLDCs: high trade costs, dependence on transit countries, and limited access to global markets. However, unlike past approaches that focused on adaptation, Uzbekistan now seeks to reshape the international environment by promoting new institutions, frameworks, and coalitions.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s address in Awaza reflects this strategic reorientation. The proposals he outlined constitute a comprehensive geo-economic doctrine for landlocked countries, with Uzbekistan aiming to become a central actor in building global connectivity from within Eurasia.
First, the call for a Global Agreement on Transit Guarantees under the UN auspices reflects Tashkent’s desire to move from bilateral negotiation to multilateral enforcement of fair transit rules. This would allow LLDCs to reduce their vulnerability to unilateral policy changes in transit countries — making logistics not just a technical issue, but one of sovereign equality.
Second, the emphasis on southern transport corridors — especially the Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan railway and the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan line — highlights a shift in Uzbekistan’s strategic orientation. These projects are not simply about infrastructure but represent an emerging geopolitical axis that repositions Central Asia as a connector between South Asia, the Middle East, and East Asia. In doing so, Tashkent is reducing reliance on northern corridors that are increasingly affected by geopolitical fragmentation and sanctions regimes.
Third, the proposal to establish a UN-backed Fund for Logistics Integration and a Global Vulnerability Index for LLDCs reveals a deeper ambition: to shape new global instruments for fairer access to resources and markets. Uzbekistan is no longer content to be a recipient of international assistance — it is positioning itself as a co-designer of the global development architecture.
Fourth, the inclusion of innovation, food security, and digitalization in the LLDC agenda — particularly through the proposed Innovation Hub for Agricultural Development — indicates Uzbekistan’s commitment to embedding the landlocked discourse within broader sustainable development goals. This expansion of scope marks a move toward holistic strategic planning, where connectivity is seen as a cross-sectoral and forward-looking priority.
Fifth, the engagement of think tanks and analytical centers, and Uzbekistan’s intent to join the International Analytical Centre for LLDCs, demonstrates a clear understanding of the role of intellectual leadership in global affairs. In a world where the legitimacy of ideas is as critical as the material power to act, Uzbekistan is investing in strategic foresight and knowledge diplomacy to advance its interests.
In essence, Uzbekistan’s participation in LLDC3 marks a new phase in its foreign policy — one defined by proactive agenda-setting and regional leadership.
In an era of fragmented globalization and shifting power centers, Tashkent seeks to position itself as a platform state — a country that not only bridges regions but also contributes to the normative and institutional design of global governance for landlocked nations.
Asal Kasymova, PhD in Law, Associate Professor of the Department of International and Public Law, Tashkent State Transport University
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