On October 15–16, 2025, the city of Fergana, Republic of Uzbekistan, hosted the first meeting of the Fergana Peace Forum under the theme: “Fergana Valley: Uniting Efforts for Peace and Progress.”
The event was organized by the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Participants included First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan Bahromjon Aloev, Governor (Hokim) of Fergana Region Khayrullo Bozarov, Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic in Batken Region Aybek Shamenov, Head of Sughd Region of the Republic of Tajikistan Rajabboy Ahmadzoda, as well as representatives of ministries and agencies, international organizations including the UN, OSCE, CICA, EU, CIS, and SCO.
Deputy Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Sohail Khan, delivered the welcoming address of SCO Secretary General Nurlan Yermekbayev at the Forum's opening ceremony. The address highlighted the importance of interregional platforms in strengthening trust and mutual understanding among peoples, the significance of promoting public diplomacy, and the development of humanitarian cooperation. The Deputy Secretary General noted that the Fergana Valley has the potential to become a symbol of constructive engagement — demonstrating to the world how dialogue and joint involvement can be used to achieve sustainable development and shared prosperity.
At the conclusion of the Forum's first meeting, a communiqué was adopted.
On the sidelines of the Forum, the SCO Deputy Secretary-General held meetings with the Governor of Fergana Region, Kh. Bozarov, and the Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, E. Aripov. The discussions focused on organizing joint events under the SCO framework and further developing the Forum as a platform for strengthening interregional cooperation.