The forum became a unique platform for discussing relevant methods for the development of local self-government, optimizing territories, improving the investment climate, and implementing digital technologies, as well as the role of municipal associations in interregional cooperation.
One of the key outcomes of the forum was the discussion of the idea of creating a Council for Local Self-Government and Local Development in Central Asia. This platform will focus on:
- developing and testing unified standards and tools for local economic development;
- improving the investment climate at the territorial level;
- supporting the implementation of digital solutions and econometric models in governance;
- facilitating inter-country cooperation among municipalities;
- developing human resources at the local level.
The Council will function as a coordination platform for interaction among government bodies, associations, municipalities, and local communities from five countries in the region. Its activities will focus on data collection, implementing pilot projects, investment proposals, and engaging citizens.
Nadezhda Dobretzova, Chair of the Board of the Development Policy Institute (Kyrgyzstan), emphasized: "We aim to amplify the voice of local communities and adapt local self-government to modern challenges. We hope that the forum will serve as a starting point for forming a common vision for territorial development in Central Asia."
Experts from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, as well as specialists from the UK, Sweden, Italy, Switzerland, Japan, and other countries participated in the panel discussions.
The establishment of the Council for Local Self-Government and Local Development will provide government bodies, municipalities, businesses, and citizens access to unified standards and tools that will help:
- improve the quality of local services;
- develop territories, including vulnerable and hard-to-reach areas;
- create an attractive investment environment;
- implement digital and algorithmic approaches in governance;
- strengthen civic participation and transparency.
It should be noted that in Central Asia, local communities have their traditional forms of self-governance, which have been enriched by international experience over the past 30 years while preserving their unique national and regional characteristics.
"At the intersection of global models and regional features, a unique Central Asian model of local self-government is being formed. Evolving within the framework of state policy, local self-government needs to strengthen horizontal ties both within the countries of the region and between them," the statement notes.
