Bakhtiyor Mustafaev: Expanding recycling will help create added value and jobs within Central Asia
On 22-23 October 2026, Bishkek hosted the Sixth China – Central Asia Think Tank Forum under the theme “High-Quality Development and Joint Modernization”. The event was organized by the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the National Institute for Strategic Initiatives under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic.
The forum brought together representatives of leading think tanks and research institutions from China and all five Central Asian states. Uzbekistan was represented by experts from the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (ISRS), the Academy of Public Policy and Administration under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and the International Institute for Central Asia.
Participants discussed prospects for joint modernization, stronger transport and digital connectivity, deeper industrial cooperation and the adoption of artificial intelligence. Attention was paid to developing human capital and expanding cultural and people-to-people ties.
Speaking at a panel session on the circular economy, ISRS Deputy Director Bakhtiyor Mustafaev highlighted opportunities for cooperation between the Central Asian countries and China in waste recycling and resource reuse. In his assessment, joint recycling facilities would help create added value and new jobs within the region.
Mr. Mustafaev noted that Uzbekistan is already creating the conditions needed to expand such cooperation. The country has established a dedicated agency, private-sector participation in waste management is growing, and a portfolio of projects to build 11 waste-to-energy plants is being prepared. Chinese technology companies are key partners in implementing these projects.
Turning to regional prospects, the ISRS Deputy Director noted that Central Asia generates about 25 million tons of municipal solid waste annually. However, the limited size of national markets makes it difficult for each country to establish a complete recycling cycle for every type of complex waste.
In these circumstances, he identified the development of cross-border value chains as a promising solution. Under this approach, the collection and initial processing of recyclable materials in the region’s countries would be complemented by advanced processing at specialized technology centers. Mr. Mustafaev noted that combining Central Asia’s resource base with China’s technology and expertise offers opportunities to expand this cooperation.
To turn these opportunities into practical action, the ISRS representative outlined three priorities.
The first is to expand supplies of standardized secondary raw materials from Central Asia to China. As Mustafaev explained, this refers to processed materials that comply with Chinese requirements. The growing use of electric vehicles, batteries and digital equipment in the region makes it increasingly important to develop recycling capacity and establish reliable sales channels for the recovered materials.
The second is to establish joint ventures for the recovery and recycling of renewable energy equipment. According to the ISRS Deputy Director, the rapid development of solar and wind power plants requires planning for recycling equipment at the end of its service life. Cooperation with Chinese partners would enable the recovery of silicon, silver and polymers from end-of-life solar panels for reuse in manufacturing.
The third is to develop joint educational programs to train specialists in the circular economy. Mr. Mustafaev noted that the Central Asian University of Environment and Climate Change Studies – Green University – could serve as a partner on the Uzbek side, having launched a relevant master’s degree program. He emphasized that training specialists would provide new enterprises with a skilled workforce and lay the foundation for long-term cooperation in this field.
UzA
