On June 3, 2025, a meeting was held with Michael Levison, a leading expert from France’s prestigious National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO) and a renowned Orientalist. The discussion was attended by CEO of the Center for Progressive Reforms Mirshohid Aslanov and leading analysts Otabek Akromov and Alouddin Komilov.

During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on Uzbekistan’s role in regional cooperation in Central Asia, recent shifts in the country’s foreign policy under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and the evolving geopolitical landscape in the region.

Michael Levison referred to Uzbekistan as the “heart of Central Asia,” attributing this position to President Mirziyoyev’s proactive regional integration strategy. He specifically highlighted the president’s first official foreign visit to Turkmenistan as a symbolic starting point of a new phase in Uzbekistan’s foreign policy.

The expert emphasized the importance of cultural and academic diplomacy in strengthening the international image of Uzbekistan and the wider region. He also pointed out the need to raise awareness and understanding of Central Asian countries among the European public, noting that many Europeans are still unfamiliar with the geography and distinctions between the five Central Asian republics.

During the conversation, Levison raised several pressing issues related to Uzbekistan’s domestic politics, energy security, rising electricity prices and public sentiment, economic priorities – particularly in the cotton sector and other key industries as well as prospects for cooperation with Afghanistan and Russia. Representatives of the CPR provided thorough and well-grounded responses to these questions.

The meeting marked another important step in showcasing Uzbekistan’s commitment to open dialogue and an analytical, forward-looking approach to foreign policy.