As a critical advancement towards forming a regional cooperation platform, the Second Inter-Parliamentary Forum  of Central Asian countries took place in Khiva, Uzbekistan on September 13, 2024. This meeting was to assemble parliamentary heads of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan to deliberate on the future of the collaboration and led to the signing of the Khiva Declaration.

The forum is an important event in a region characterized by the exchange of cultural and political relations for centuries. Central Asian states established since the collapse of the Soviet Union have been challenged to balance stability and cooperation. However, in the last few years, with the emergence of more active Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, there has been a renewed tendency towards the improvement of the integration process in the economic and political aspects.

In his speech during the forum, President Mirziyoyev stressed the appropriateness of utilizing the tools of parliamentary diplomacy to obtain practical outcomes directly for the people of Central Asia. “Our cooperation has always been the basis of our strength”, as stressed by President Mirziyoyev, whose speech was delivered by Senate Chairperson Tanzila Narbayeva before the delegation of the lower house of the Kazakh Parliament—the Majilis. Parliament Speaker of the Kyrgyz Republic Nurbek Satvaldie said, “The Khiva Declaration is not simply an announcement but an intention for generations to come that outlines the prospect of developing trade, security, as well as socio-economic cooperation.”