Doha Summit: Central Asia’s Push for Youth, Social Equity & Global Action

In a significant diplomatic endeavor, Presidents Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan and Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan recently joined a global convocation of leaders at the World Summit for Social Development in Doha on November 4th. This high-level gathering served as a critical platform for heads of state and government to tackle the most pressing social challenges of our time, with discussions centered on eradicating poverty and inequality, and accelerating progress towards the ambitious 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. A palpable sense of urgency permeated the summit, as leaders collectively called for a decisive shift from mere dialogue to concrete, actionable strategies. The forum is anticipated to culminate in the signing of the Doha Declaration, a pivotal document aimed at bolstering international cooperation and solidifying commitments to sustainable development objectives. Beyond the multilateral agenda, the summit also provided fertile ground for crucial bilateral negotiations.

The Doha summit, a successor to the inaugural World Summit for Social Development held in Copenhagen in 1995, was preceded by key preparatory discussions, including the Social Development Solutions Forum and the first meeting of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. These preparatory events underscored a renewed emphasis on practical implementation. Annalena Baerbock, the President of the UN General Assembly, articulated this sentiment, stating, “We are moving from discussing problems to practical actions.” She candidly acknowledged the recurring dilemma of knowing what assistance is needed but often lacking the means or resolve to deliver it. Baerbock highlighted the leaders’ collective purpose in Doha: to foster mutual learning, replicate successful initiatives, forge new alliances, and adhere to shared principles for global good.

Bjørg Sandkjær, a participant in the foundational Copenhagen summit, sees the Doha forum as both a continuation and an evolution of earlier ideals. While the 1990s were characterized by a pervasive optimism, today’s youth, she observed, contend with a far more complex landscape – grappling with misinformation, escalating climate threats, and a pervasive decline in trust. Sandkjær’s resounding message to the younger generation is one of empowerment: “Your participation matters. Speak loudly, forge new alliances, demand action.” True success, she contended, must be measured by how commitments translate into tangible improvements in people’s lives – encompassing dignity in work, robust social protection, and genuine inclusivity. Thirty years after Copenhagen, the core mission remains unchanged: to construct a world where progress is gauged not solely by wealth, but by well-being, equity, and human dignity.

President Mirziyoyev’s presence at the second World Summit for Social Development clearly signals his profound personal dedication to youth-related issues. As early as September, during his address to the UN General Assembly, the Uzbek leader unveiled an initiative to establish a Global Youth Movement for Peace, proposing Tashkent as its headquarters. Domestically, President Mirziyoyev has championed ambitious projects for Uzbekistan’s youth, whom he hails as the “golden generation.” He proudly pointed to Uzbekistan’s robust economic growth, its standing among the top ten nations actively implementing the UN’s “Youth-2030” strategy, and its pioneering progress in youth policy. This includes plans for international schools designed to prepare students for admission to prestigious institutions like Harvard and Yale, alongside expanded support for students pursuing education abroad through grants and loans of up to $20,000 for studies at the world’s top 300 universities.

Qatar is emerging as a significant partner in Uzbekistan’s educational aspirations. The Qatar Foundation, for instance, actively backs educational initiatives and research programs, often through university partnerships. The potential for expanded cooperation across education, science, and culture was a key topic of discussion during bilateral talks in Doha between Uzbekistan’s First Deputy Foreign Minister Bakhranjan Aloyev and Qatar’s Minister of Education and Higher Education, Lolwah bint Rashid bin Mohammed Al-Khater.

At the Doha summit, President Mirziyoyev put forward a groundbreaking proposal for a Global Social Justice Fund. This fund, he articulated, would provide practical support to developing nations, playing a critical role in alleviating poverty and bridging social disparities. “Today, over 1 billion people worldwide live in poverty. The time has come to unite our efforts and mobilize resources for effective social support,” the Uzbek leader emphasized.

Further demonstrating his nation’s proactive stance, Mirziyoyev introduced the Global Initiative for Decent Work and Social Responsibility. This initiative targets the protection and empowerment of workers amidst the rapid integration of advanced technologies and artificial intelligence, while simultaneously expanding educational opportunities for youth to mitigate social inequality. A particular focus was placed on safeguarding the rights and well-being of migrant workers and their families. To this end, Mirziyoyev proposed hosting an international forum in Uzbekistan and establishing a global program dedicated to protecting the estimated 300 million migrants worldwide.

This emphasis on youth and migration is deeply rooted in Uzbekistan’s demographic reality. The country’s young population, aged 14-30, numbers nearly 9.6 million, accounting for 25.7% of the total populace. Annually, over 600,000 young individuals enter the labor market, a figure projected to reach one million by 2030. This demographic pressure often necessitates seeking employment opportunities abroad, with Russia remaining a primary destination. Valeriy Fadeev, head of the Russian Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights, noted during an October 2025 visit to Tashkent that approximately two million Uzbek citizens are officially employed in Russia. Their remittances in 2024 amounted to roughly $11.5 billion, representing a substantial 9% of Uzbekistan’s GDP.

A similar demographic narrative unfolds in Tajikistan, where the majority of its 10-million population is under 30, with an average age of just 25.7 years. This youthful demographic constitutes a vital labor force, capable of not only bolstering the national budget but also driving the country’s progress. Tajikistan’s constitutional guarantees for entrepreneurial freedom and a lowered age requirement of 35 for presidential candidacy reflect a profound trust in its young generation.

Bilateral discussions constituted another crucial dimension of the Doha summit. Qatar, renowned for its substantial investments, actively seeks to cultivate economic sectors across Central Asia. In Kazakhstan, for instance, Qatari enterprises have already committed $20 billion to diverse sectors including telecommunications, energy, transportation, petrochemicals, and agriculture. Significant ongoing projects include a gas processing plant at Kashagan, the second line of the Beineu-Bozoi-Shymkent gas pipeline, and power stations in the Kyzylorda region.

While Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was not in attendance, President Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan assumed a prominent role in the summit’s discussions. He engaged with Qatar’s Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, across a wide spectrum of cooperation, from green energy and transport to geology, textiles, tourism, and infrastructure. President Rahmon of Tajikistan has a history of frequent meetings with the Qatari Emir, with previous discussions in February of the past year focusing on projects in energy, mining, industry, and agriculture. The absence of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, who was on an official visit to Egypt, was also noted. Notably, the leaders of Central Asia are poised for another significant diplomatic engagement soon after Doha, gathering in Washington D.C. on November 6th for a meeting with US President Donald Trump and a summit under the “C5+1” format, underscoring the region’s dynamic foreign policy agenda.