According to an analysis paper by Ahmed Dahshan published by the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, Central Asia is increasingly serving as a strategic commercial bridge linking Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states to the broader Eurasian sphere. The paper states that the region is shifting toward multipolarity, with China functioning as an established structural foundation in trade and infrastructure while Russia maintains legacy security and economic ties.
The publication highlights that ties between the GCC and Central Asian republics have developed under a formal institutional framework following the launch of their strategic dialogue in September 2022. This included the adoption of a joint action plan for 2023–2027 covering economic, investment, and trade cooperation, following a ministerial meeting in Riyadh in 2022 and an inaugural leaders' summit in Jeddah in 2023.
The analysis outlines the Gulf's comparative strength as the provision of capital, sector expertise, and market access without geopolitical alignment mandates. To leverage these advantages, the paper advocates for an integrated Gulf strategy targeting energy, critical minerals, logistics hubs, railways, and food security across the Central Asian republics.
The author advises Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar to coordinate investment initiatives to turn market competition into functional complementarity. The paper also cautions Gulf investors to conduct thorough partner vetting to navigate uneven national regulatory climates and avoid secondary sanctions risks tied to Russian entities.
Sources
- Middle East Council on Global Affairs · 2026-10-08
