Madina Abaidullayeva

The past decade has witnessed the active institutionalisation of multilateral “5+1” formats between the Central Asian states and external partners. This trend has been reflected in the growing number of summits, ministerial meetings, and joint declarations, although these political developments have not always been followed by economic implementation of a comparable scale. This article examines the institutional mechanisms and instruments that facilitate the transition from political agreements to the implementation of economic projects within the “5+1” formats involving the United States, China, and the European Union between 2015–2025. Drawing on comparative institutional analysis, content analysis of official documents, and case studies, each format is assessed according to six qualitative criteria: regularity of interaction, permanent coordination bodies, specificity of roadmaps, financial provision, monitoring mechanisms, and project outcomes. Multilateral commitments are consistently distinguished from parallel bilateral agreements. The analysis demonstrates that all three formats demonstrate comparable institutional maturity in terms of high-level engagement and permanent coordination mechanisms. However, they differ substantially in the specificity of roadmaps, the alignment of financial instruments with the multilateral level, and the availability of monitoring arrangements. The European Union format has the most developed roadmap and monitoring architecture, whereas the US and Chinese formats reveal a persistent gap between announced funding volumes and their institutional linkage to multilateral rather than bilateral cooperation. The research’s novelty lies in developing a qualitative, non-aggregated comparative framework connecting institutional architecture with documented project outcomes. Its practical significance concerns its applicability to Central Asian ministries, regional coordination bodies, and development institutions.

This study assesses export concentration risk in four Central Asian economies (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan) by examining trade specialization patterns in 31 mineral, chemical, textile, and metallurgical product groups over 2017–2024. Using a multi-index framework based on Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantage (RSCA), Relative Trade Advantage (RTA), and the Lafay Index (LI), the paper distinguishes structurally embedded competitive advantages from export signals that are weak, import-dependent, or potentially transient. The revised analysis adds explicit data consistency checks, a clarified classification rule, and robustness tests based on sign concordance, majority-index rules, and RSCA-only thresholds. The results show that Central Asia’s risk profile is highly persistent but heterogeneous: Tajikistan is exposed to extreme single-commodity risk in aluminium and cotton-related segments; Kazakhstan remains vulnerable to mineral-fuel concentration and energy-price volatility; Uzbekistan has broader but still labour-intensive textile specialization; and Kyrgyzstan shows ambiguous competitiveness that may partly reflect re-export and transit-related trade. Fully competitive product groups are confined mainly to resource- and labour-intensive activities, while chemicals and technologically complex manufacturing remain non-competitive across the region. The findings support risk-differentiated policy responses, including commodity-price hedging, counter-cyclical stabilization tools, downstream processing, textile upgrading, and regional value-chain development.

The article examines features, risks, and prospects for expanding economic cooperation among Central Asian countries within «5+1» formats – a model where five regional states (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan) cooperate with one external partner (USA, China, Russia, EU, or Japan). These formats serve as instruments for integrating Central Asia into the global economy. Their flexible, weakly institutionalized nature increases adaptability but also enhances vulnerability to geopolitical, infrastructural, institutional, and climate-related factors. This institutional specificity creates significant potential for deepening cooperation, provided systematic risk management is applied. The research aims to identify prospects for expanding economic cooperation within «5+1» formats through systematization and assessment of potential risks, using institutional approach, SWOT analysis, and risk mapping. The paper classifies risks by economic nature, probability, and degree of impact, substantiating the possibility of transforming identified risks into strategic directions for developing trade, investment, transport, energy infrastructure, and ESG agenda. Scientific significance lies in developing a risk-oriented and perspective-oriented analytical model for «5+1» formats, previously studied mainly in political-diplomatic context. The study expands theoretical views on hybrid forms of international economic cooperation, demonstrating that risks can serve not only as vulnerability sources but as drivers of regional economic growth. Practical significance consists in applying results toward foreign economic policy development, transport-logistics cooperation, harmonization of technical standards, digitalization of customs procedures, and integration of ESG principles into joint economic initiatives of Central Asian countries and external partners.

In the context of the growing strategic importance of Central Asia against the backdrop of the global transformation of the international relations system, the "5 + 1" formats are becoming an important instrument of foreign economic and foreign policy interaction of the countries of the region with the leading world powers – the USA, China, the EU, Russia and Japan. However, the implementation of initiatives within these formats faces a number of systemic challenges and constraints. The purpose of this study is to identify and comprehensively analyze difficulties slowing down the implementation of joint projects, as well as to find opportunities to improve the effectiveness of international cooperation. The paper examines institutional, political and economic, infrastructural, geopolitical and sociocultural barriers that limit the effectiveness of cooperation. The scientific significance of the study lies in the structured comparative approach to assessing cooperation in the five "CA+1" formats, as well as in identifying institutional deficits and contradictions between the interests of the parties. The results of the study enrich the theoretical base on regional cooperation, sustainable development and international economic integration. The practical significance lies in the development of applied recommendations for strengthening coordination, institutional support and increasing the effectiveness of foreign economic initiatives within the framework of “5+1”.

The article analyzes Japan’s economic interaction with Central Asia within the framework of the «5+1» format, which is a unique mechanism of multilateral cooperation that has attracted the attention of leading world powers in recent years due to the strategic importance of the region in the context of energy resources and transit routes. The research is based on a comprehensive analysis of investment, trade and economic relations between the countries of Central Asia and Japan. The main purpose was to identify key trends and factors that determine the dynamics of economic interaction and analyze the interrelations of economies. The hypotheses were tested using comparative statistics, dynamic analysis and graphical method, as well as using statistical methods, including calculation of correlation coefficients and multiple regression. Limitations of the study include the lack of data for some countries and periods. The analysis showed a moderate positive correlation between the GDP (Gross domestic product) of the countries of Central Asia and Japan, indicating economic interdependence. Japan’s investment activity is manifested in significant investments in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, with recent growth in Tajikistan. Trade turnover between the countries fluctuates due to global and regional factors. Despite the positive correlation of economies, Central Asia's influence on Japan remains limited. Japanese investment plays a key role in the region's development, but political instability and domestic problems in the countries reduce their effectiveness. Trade also faces challenges, including customs barriers and infrastructure limitations.

This article is focused on analyzing the market conditions for agricultural products in Central Asian countries. The study was conducted in order to identify the current state and prospects for the development of the agricultural sector in the region. The authors analyzed the volume of production and consumption of agricultural products, market structure, trends in price dynamics, as well as domestic and external demand for agricultural products. Special attention is paid to the role of international cooperation and cooperation of entrepreneurs in the development of the agricultural sector. The results of the study can be used to develop strategies for the development of the agricultural sector in Central Asian countries. The purpose of the study is to determine the optimal range of agricultural products, study options for their possible processing into a finished product in order to create an effective production chain within the framework of cooperation between entrepreneurs in Central Asian countries based on an analysis of the market conditions for agricultural products in these countries. The analysis of domestic and external demand for agricultural products will assist in developing strategies to increase export opportunities and attract investment. The findings of the study can be used by Central Asian governments to make informed decisions in the field of agricultural policy and entrepreneurship support. In addition, the research will help strengthen international cooperation and cooperation between entrepreneurs in the region, which will lead to sustainable development of the agricultural industry.

This article is devoted to the study of the interconnection and interdependence of the economies of Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan), which plays an increasingly significant role in the global economy, based on its strategic location, natural resources and growing economic potential. Studying the influence of the Central Asian economies on each other helps to understand the complex web of economic ties in the region and has practical implications for solving economic problems and stimulating sustainable development in the region. The purpose of the study is to identify and assess the degree of interconnection and interdependence between the macroeconomic indicators of the countries of the region and their impact on the economic development of Kazakhstan. The assessment is carried out by the method of correlation and regression analysis based on data on the GDP of the countries of the region. The article was prepared within the framework of the grant funding project of the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan «The role of Kazakhstan in deepening regional integration of CA countries and its sustainable development goals within modern global trends» (BR18574168).