Diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan were established on November 23, 1992. However, the current dynamics of bilateral relations is characterized not so much by the duration of diplomatic relations as by the high intensity of political dialogue. Over the past 10 years, a number of mutual state visits of the leaders of the two countries have taken place, including the state visits of the President of Uzbekistan to Kazakhstan in 2017, 2021 and 2024, as well as the visits of the President of Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan in 2019, 2022 and 2025. Along with this, informal meetings and working visits of heads of state have been held since 2023.

Political cooperation goes beyond the bilateral agenda. Kazakhstan regularly supports Uzbekistan's initiatives within the framework of the United Nations, the SCO, Consultative Meetings of the Heads of state of Central Asia and the CA+ formats. Among the priority areas are industrial cooperation, energy and food security, combating climate change, tourism, digital technologies and artificial intelligence, as well as personnel training.

This multifaceted system of interaction mechanisms shows that bilateral partnership is developing not only at the level of heads of state. It has a stable vertical of implementation - from political decisions to intergovernmental commissions, working groups and regional cooperation. It is this kind of institutional architecture that makes it possible to translate political agreements into concrete projects and practical results.

Kazakhstan is one of the three largest foreign trade partners of Uzbekistan and accounts for 57 percent of our country's foreign trade with the Central Asian states. In turn, in 2025, Uzbekistan's share in Kazakhstan's regional trade turnover amounted to 55.8 percent. These indicators demonstrate that bilateral economic ties are of systemic importance not only for the two countries, but also for the entire regional economy.

The structure of economic cooperation is gradually becoming more diversified. Uzbekistan's main exports include vehicles and spare parts, mechanical equipment, food and industrial goods, textile and chemical products, ferrous metals, beverages and tobacco. Kazakhstan supplies grain and products of the milling and cereal industry, ferrous metals, foodstuffs, mineral fuels and electricity, ores, as well as chemical products to Uzbekistan.

Even more important is the transition from simple trade to industrial cooperation. The intergovernmental working group, established in 2022 to monitor joint projects and import substitution, deals with issues of cooperation in the energy, chemical industry, transport, mechanical engineering, light industry, agriculture, electrical engineering, infrastructure and pharmaceuticals.

Intergovernmental and interregional mechanisms, such as the Intergovernmental Commission, the Forum for Interregional Cooperation, and the Business Council, play an important role in this process. At the same time, further development of economic ties is expected to be ensured not only at the level of central governments, but also through the newly established Council of Heads of Regions, which should become a new mechanism for direct interaction between the regions of the two countries. In this context, the bilateral partnership is becoming increasingly complementary: its sustainability is no longer determined by one area, but by a combination of trade, production and investment ties.

Against this background, the upcoming visit takes on a special significance. It is taking place in an environment where political relations between the two countries already have a solid allied foundation, and economic cooperation is showing high dynamics. New technologies, digitalization and innovative formats of international cooperation are becoming the next natural dimension of this agenda. The holding of the International Multisport Tournament "Games of the Future" in Astana fits into this context.

In 2026, Astana became the host venue for the competition. The tournament will be held from July 29 to August 9 and will be the third stage in the development of the international project, the first competitions of which were held in Kazan in 2024, and the second in Abu Dhabi in 2025.

The "Games of the Future" represent a new competition format combining physical sports and digital technologies. Participants compete simultaneously in physical and virtual spaces, and the results of the 2 stages are combined to determine the winners. Thus, the tournament reflects the development of the sports industry in the context of digital transformation and the formation of new formats of international competitions.

The scale of the upcoming tournament highlights its international importance. About 900 athletes from more than 50 countries will take part in the competition, and the expected number of spectators will exceed 100,000 people. The competition program includes 8 disciplines: digital football, digital basketball, digital shooters, digital martial arts, digital dancing, MOBA Mobile, MOBA PC and Battle royale.

The upcoming visit of the President of Uzbekistan to Kazakhstan goes beyond participation in the opening ceremony of the tournament. It reflects a broader trend towards the formation of a new model of regional cooperation in Central Asia based on a combination of political trust, economic integration, technological cooperation and joint promotion of innovative international initiatives. In this context, the "Games of the Future" are becoming not only a sporting event, but also a symbol of the region's transition to a new development agenda.

News agency "Doone".