Please join the Fletcher Eurasia Club for a conversation about the evolution of regional integration in Central Asia with scholar Akram Umarov of the University of World Economy and Diplomacy (UWED) in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Umarov will explore the evolving dynamics of regional cooperation in Central Asia amid shifting the geopolitical and economic landscape. He will examine new opportunities and challenges for deeper integration, considering factors such as trade, security, and infrastructure development. The conversation will highlight the role of major global players and regional organizations in shaping a more interconnected and resilient Central Asia. Ultimately, the event aims to provide insights into the current state and future trajectory of regional integration and its broader implications.

We encourage you to read in advance the following articles by Umarov and other experts about great power competition in Central Asia, growing trends of Central Asian regionalism, and how Central Asian nations and their identities have evolved since the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

The Eurasia Club lunch seminar series engages with students, faculty, staff, and researchers to foster a better understanding of the region among members of the Fletcher and wider Tufts communities. Please register via the following Microsoft Form to attend the event in person or let us know if you would like to attend virtually. Please contact us with any questions you might have about the event or if you would like to submit discussion questions for the speaker in advance. Lunch will be served following the conversation. Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions, and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Dr. Akram Umarov is the First Vice-Rector of the University of World Economy and Diplomacy (UWED). He is also affiliated with the Institute for Advanced International Studies in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. In 2021-2022, he was a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at the Center for Governance and Markets, University of Pittsburgh. Previously he was a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies and the Academy of Public Administration under the President of Uzbekistan. He received master’s and Ph.D. degrees in International Relations at UWED. He also graduated with an M.A. degree in Governance, Development, and Public Policy from the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex (UK). His research interests include security, conflict management, and development studies in Central Asia, Afghanistan, and former Soviet space.