President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev opened his speech to the plenary session of the 2026 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum by reiterating a central theme of the event: “This new architecture of the global economy—we all see it, recognize it, and feel it. The world is undergoing a profound restructuring.”
He focused on the central role that Uzbekistan intends to play, “at the heart of the Great Silk Road,” in connecting key corridors from North to South, East to West. “This is not only about linking traditional transport, logistics, and energy corridors. It is also about integrating digital, payment, and industrial infrastructure. A strong, united, economically interconnected, open, and stable Central Asia serves the strategic interests of all our partners.”
