On February 14 of this year, a discussion “Multilateralism in a Fragmented Global Order” was held in Munich (Germany) within the framework of the 62nd Munich Security Conference, organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center (Azerbaijan).

Among the key participants are Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Center for Islamic Studies of Saudi Arabia Turki Al-Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, UN Under-Secretary-General Miguel Angel Moratinos, UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan and others.

The Uzbek delegation was represented by the First Deputy Chairman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Rector of the University of World Economy and Diplomacy Sodyq Safoev and Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies E. Aripov.

The discussion took place against the backdrop of the publication of the Munich Security Report 2026, which characterizes the world as being “in a state of destruction”. In this regard, Sodyq Safoev noted that Central Asia demonstrates a completely different trend.

“If in the global system we hear more and more often about the disunity and paralysis of multilateral mechanisms, then in our region today the atmosphere of trust, interconnectedness and a common future is strengthening,” he stressed.

According to him, in a fragmented world, it is the regions that can become new drivers of multilateralism. “Connectivity is no longer just an economic category. This is a security asset,” Safoev said, noting that transport, energy and humanitarian ties reduce the conflict potential and form a stable environment for cooperation.

“If in the global system we hear more and more often about the disunity and paralysis of multilateral mechanisms, then in our region today the atmosphere of trust, interconnectedness and a common future is strengthening,” he stressed.

According to him, in a fragmented world, it is the regions that can become new drivers of multilateralism. “Connectivity is no longer just an economic category. This is a security asset,” Safoev said, noting that transport, energy and humanitarian ties reduce the conflict potential and form a stable environment for cooperation.

Special attention was paid to the expansion of the regional format through Azerbaijan's accession to the Consultative Meetings. “This is not a situational decision, but a reflection of the emerging new geopolitical reality,” he said, pointing to the strengthening of Uzbekistan's strategic partnership with Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

The First Deputy Chairman of the Senate cited specific development indicators. In particular, the Middle Corridor has evolved from a technical project into a strategically important route linking Asia and Europe. The volume of Uzbekistan's foreign trade cargo transportation has doubled over the past five years and reached 1.2 million tons by the end of 2025. The share of cargo going to the European Union countries through the Middle Corridor increased from 12% in 2021 to 28% in 2025.

S. Safoev highlighted the issue of investment needs for the full realization of the potential of the route. According to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the modernization of the Trans-Caspian route requires about 18.5 billion euros. These funds are needed to rehabilitate railways and roads, expand rolling stock, increase port capacity, modernize border crossings, and create multimodal logistics hubs throughout Central Asia.

The UWED Rector also stressed that for Uzbekistan, as a landlocked country, access to efficient transport corridors directly affects transport costs, export competitiveness and opportunities for diversification of trade partners. “This is not an option, but a strategic necessity,” he said.

At the end of his speech, S. Safoev stressed that Central Asia is forming its own regional identity based on common interests and values.

“Central Asia can and should become a bridge – a space for dialogue, not division,” the senator concluded, stressing that it is through connectivity and cooperation that the region contributes to strengthening a more sustainable international order.