September 15 — On the occasion of the International Day of Democracy, the Central Asian Civil Society Forum, held under the theme “The Significance of Civil Society Institutions in Democratic Development: The Experience of Uzbekistan and Central Asian Cou

Samarkand has turned into a dialogue platform uniting Central Asian civil society institutions

Tadbirni Demokratik jarayonlarni tahlil qilish markazi direktori Azamat Pardayev ochib berdi.

“Demokratik taraqqiyotda fuqarolik jamiyati institutlarining ahamiyati: O‘zbekiston va Markaziy Osiyo mamlakatlari tajribasi” mavzusidagi Markaziy Osiyo fuqarolik jamiyati forumi start oldi

2026 yil 14 sentabr kuni Demokratik jarayonlarni tahlil qilish markazida Kanadaning “COMPASS” instituti asoschisi va prezidenti Frederik Martin hamda Institutning Markaziy Osiyo bo‘yicha bosh direktori Yelena Andreyeva bilan uchrashuv bo‘lib o‘tdi.

Demokratik jarayonlarni tahlil qilish markazida Kanadaning “COMPASS” instituti vakillari bilan uchrashuv o‘tkazildi

Demokratik jarayonlarni tahlil qilish markazi, BMTning O‘zbekistondagi doimiy vakolatxonasi, BMT Taraqqiyot dasturi va YeXHTning O‘zbekistondagi loyihalari koordinatori tashabbusi asosida “Xalqaro demokratiya kuni” munosabati bilan 2026 yil 17 sentabr kun

Samarqandda fuqarolik jamiyati forumi o‘tkaziladi

COLLECTION OF MATERIALS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC AND PRACTICAL CONFERENCE ON “THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY IN STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY IN UZBEKISTAN: GLOBAL CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS”

Farkhad Buranov
Deputy Director of the Center for the Analysis of Democratic Processes,&nbsp; Candidate of Legal Sciences (PhD in Law), Associate Professor.
&nbsp;The theoretical and methodological foundations of the &ldquo;Bottom-Up&rdquo; approach to regional integration
Regional integration in Central Asia, under the conditions of the contemporary geopolitical landscape, is increasingly evolving beyond the framework of exclusively interstate cooperation and emerging as a complex, multidimensional process. In the context of global instability, the region is progressively asserting itself as a unified, competitive, and strategically significant actor in international relations. Historically, Central Asia has served as a bridge between East and West, embodying substantial energy resources, rich cultural and civilizational heritage, and considerable human potential&nbsp;[1].
The policy course launched in the middle of the 2010s with the objective of strengthening mutual trust and promoting pragmatic cooperation has resulted in the gradual institutionalization of the Consultative Meetings of the Heads of State of Central Asia&nbsp;[2]. The Seventh Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia, held in Tashkent on 16&nbsp;November 2025 under the chairmanship of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, represented a landmark event that marked the beginning of a qualitatively new stage in the region&rsquo;s development. The unanimous decision of the participating heads of state to grant the Republic of Azerbaijan full membership in this consultative format significantly expanded its geopolitical scope, transforming it into a novel platform for regional cooperation that connects Central Asia and the South Caucasus within a broader framework of interregional integration.
In this context, the long-term sustainability of regional integration processes depends not solely on political declarations and interstate commitments, but also on the consolidation of social linkages and sustained interactions among the societies of the region. Civil society institutions, including non-governmental non-profit organizations (NGOs), public movements, expert and analytical centers, and youth associations, constitute important driving forces of integration processes developing in accordance with the bottom-up principle. By facilitating the implementation of interstate initiatives within society, these actors contribute to aligning integration strategies with the practical needs and interests of the population&nbsp;[3].

THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY INSTITUTIONS IN REGIONAL INTEGRATION PROCESSES IN CENTRAL ASIA

The desiccation of the Aral Sea is recognized as one of the largest ecological catastrophes of the 20th century. Located in Central Asia, this sea was formerly one of the world's largest inland bodies of water. However, as a result of human activity - particularly due to flawed water management policies - its volume has decreased sharply, leading to severe environmental, social, and economic challenges.

The role of afforestation of the islet region in the stabilization of Population Health and ecology

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;In 2026, a total of 54 elections and referendums are scheduled to take place in 49 countries worldwide. These processes are expected to contribute to the intensification of political discussions on the international agenda.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; According to the electoral calendar, 9 presidential elections and 31 parliamentary elections are planned, while in 10 countries presidential and parliamentary elections are expected to be held simultaneously. In addition, parliamentary elections in 2 countries are scheduled to take place alongside referendums, and separate referendums are planned in a further 2 countries.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The geography of the electoral campaigns spans all continents, with countries such as the United States, Armenia, Bulgaria, Brazil, Hungary, Denmark, Latvia, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, and Japan serving as illustrative examples.
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;From a regional perspective, the highest level of electoral activity is anticipated in Africa (18 countries) and Europe (16 countries). These political processes are expected to affect more than 1.8 billion people worldwide, with nearly 1 billion voters projected to participate in the voting process.
Annex: Information on elections scheduled for 2026 can be found through the Elections Map 2026

2026 – A Year of Global Political Processes and Active Elections

In the process of building the New Uzbekistan, civil society institutions are gaining great importance as key participants and social partners in democratic reforms. This report highlights the legal and institutional framework of civil society, mechanisms of cooperation with the state in socio-economic reforms, as well as its role in strengthening the country&rsquo;s international image. The main purpose of the report is to provide an objective assessment of the current state of civil society formed as a result of comprehensive democratic reforms in Uzbekistan, to analyze in depth the achievements attained, performance indicators, and contemporary challenges, and to define strategic directions for future development. The analyses and conclusions presented in the report serve to provide government bodies, the international community, and the general public with a holistic understanding of the progress of democratic transformations in the country.

A Report on the State and Development Trends of Civil Society in the New Uzbekistan

O'zbekistonda davlat idoralari faoliyatining ochiqligi va hisobdorligini ta'minlash O'zbekiston 2030 strategiyasining ustuvor yo'nalishlaridan biri bo'lib, islohotlar natijasida mamlakatda shaffoflik, raqobatbardosh bozor iqtisodiyoti va fuqarolar ishonchi ortib bormoqda.

Ochiq hukumat va shaffof boshqaruv

The year 2024 was one of the largest and most diverse election years in recent history. During the year, early elections were held in 22 countries. Citizens expressed their views in 20 national referendums held around the world. In total, elections and referendums were held in 78 countries and regions over 110 days during the year. In 2024, presidential elections were held in 34 countries and parliamentary elections in 61 countries. In particular, presidential elections were held in Russia, the United States, Azerbaijan, Slovakia, Iran, Moldova, Croatia and Finland, and parliamentary elections were held in Uzbekistan, France, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, Indonesia, Belarus, South Korea, India, Georgia and Bulgaria. The total population of countries holding elections in 2024 was approximately 4.16 billion, more than half of the world's population. Elections are scheduled in 58 countries in 2025, including: Presidential elections in 11 countries, including Croatia, Romania, Poland, South Korea, Cameroon, C&ocirc;te d'Ivoire and others; Parliamentary elections in 37 countries, including elections for upper and lower houses of parliament; Simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections in 10 countries (Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Tanzania, Central African Republic and others); The regions with the most elections are the Americas (17) and Europe (16). The total population of the countries where the elections will be held will be 1 billion 342 million and the number of voters will be approximately 850 million. For a full version of the document, please see the link provided. Centre for Analysis of Democratic Processes.

In 2025, presidential and parliamentary elections and referendums will be held around the world.

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Strategies "Izbekiston-2030" with expanded functionality and international institutions

#conference

The year 2024 is notable for the large number of elections. This year, in 64 countries will be held presidential and parliamentary elections. 
About half of the world's adult population (4.2 billion people) will have the right to vote. Experts estimate that more than 2 billion voters will take part in voting.
The largest number of presidential and parliamentary elections are planned to be held in the European region, voting will be held in at least 20 countries. It is followed by Africa (18 countries), Asia (16), Americas (7) and Oceania (4).
While about 30 countries have already confirmed the organization of elections and set voting dates, the remaining dates being concretized. It is known that in at least 12 countries, presidential and parliamentary elections will take place on the same day. 
In particular:
- In the Asian region, parliamentary elections will be held in 12 countries, presidential elections will be held in 2 countries, and parliamentary and presidential elections will be held on the same day in two countries;
- In the European region, parliamentary elections will be held in 11 countries, presidential elections will be held in 8 countries, and parliamentary and presidential elections will be held on the same day in one country;
- In the Americas region, presidential elections will be held in 1 country, and parliamentary and presidential elections will be held on the same day in 6 countries.
- In the African region, parliamentary elections will be held in 5 countries, presidential elections will be held in 7 countries, and parliamentary and presidential elections will be held on the same day in 6 countries.
- In the Oceania, parliamentary elections will be held in 2 countries, and parliamentary and presidential elections will be held on the same day in 
2 countries. In addition, in 2024, the composition of the European Parliament should be renewed; 
Its deputies will be elected by the people of the countries that are members of the European Union.

Read the full text of the document at this link.

Center for Analysis of Democratic Processes