Focus Group Research Reveals Central Asian Perceptions of the Gulf
Faced with a dramatically shifting geopolitical landscape, the countries of Central Asia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have sought to forge new partnerships and strengthen existing ones in order to avoid being drawn into the rivalries of greater powers. The creation of a new GCC-Central Asia intergovernmental platform has opened fresh avenues of cooperation between the two regions.
Central Asia and the Gulf—two regions composed of relatively young states—face a pivotal moment. Rising regional and global tensions are already reshaping both region’s political and economic relations with their key partners. Russia, Central Asia’s main trade and political partner, remains at war in Ukraine, while China—sharing a border with three of the five Central Asian republics—continues to clash with the United States over trade, security, and defence issues.
To understand how cooperation between Central Asia and the Gulf is perceived at the societal level, the Bourse & Bazaar Foundation commissioned a unique study. Three focus group discussions were undertaken in the capitals of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan in April 2025. Each focus group was professionally moderated and brought together eight university-educated participants who were broadly aware of developments in their own region and beyond. The findings reveal that while Central Asians are generally aware of the Gulf region, they are less familiar with unique characteristics of the individual countries that comprise the GCC. While they see potential in closer ties between the two regions, negative perceptions persist.
Among the Gulf states, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar stand out most clearly in the minds of Central Asians, with each carrying its own associations. Yet certain general stereotypes about the region persist, including mistreatment of women, excessive luxury, and poor labour conditions. Addressing these negative perceptions will be crucial as Gulf states expand their engagement with Central Asia.
Saudi Arabia is naturally linked with Islam’s two holiest cities—Mecca and Medina—and many Central Asians have travelled there for Hajj and Umrah. However, few focus group participants were aware of Saudi Arabia’s recent efforts to expand tourism beyond religious pilgrimage or to address women’s rights.
“I have a positive attitude [towards the Gulf states]. Historically we’ve always had ties with them for over a thousand years. Our ancestors, grandfathers and forefathers have always travelled to Mecca [in Saudi Arabia]. This connection [between our regions] has always existed,” said a male participant in Astana. He was among the few who expressed no negative views about the Gulf states. Mecca was repeatedly mentioned, underscoring that Islam remains a powerful connector between the two regions.
Those connections are now multiplying, largely through the initiative of Gulf and Central Asian leaders. “Peoples of Central Asia and the Gulf have long been linked with close trade relations, common values and traditions, and most importantly, our sacred religion Islam,” said Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the 2023 GCC-Central Asia Summit in Saudi Arabia. “Today the countries of Central Asia and the Gulf view each other as reliable and long-term partners. And I would like to express my satisfaction with the fact that Uzbekistan’s relations with the Gulf states have achieved a new level in recent years.”
Against the backdrop of such summits, trade and investment between the regions has rapidly increased. According to the Tashkent-based International Institute for Central Asia, a governmental think tank, trade between Uzbekistan and the Gulf rose to $880 million in the first half of 2023, up from $670 million the year before.
The focus group participants welcomed these expanding ties. Respondents in Astana valued their country’s relations with the Gulf for offering “investment opportunities with fewer political conditions,” seeing them as relatively uncomplicated and full of promise. Kazakhstan, the region’s largest economy, has received nearly $3.6 billion in Gulf investment since independence. In Bishkek, tourism was highlighted as a sector ripe for cooperation. In Tashkent, participants viewed the UAE as a business partner and Saudi Arabia as a strategic ally that could help balance Uzbekistan’s relations with larger powers.
The UAE, in particular, has become a hub for Central Asian visitors, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi only a short flight away. A streamlined visa process and affordable flights have made the country especially appealing, though recent increases in visa denials—particularly for young men—have raised concerns.
Both regions have undergone significant economic transformation in recent years. The Gulf’s energy and financial resources remain a powerful draw for Central Asian states, eager to secure investment. As ties deepen, Gulf states have a unique opportunity to reshape their image by expanding cooperation beyond hydrocarbons.
Still, stereotypes endure. The Gulf is often associated with luxury lifestyles and, in Saudi Arabia’s case, strict conservatism. A 25-year-old participant from Bishkek remarked that Saudi laws are “stricter because there are Sharia legal norms,” while in the UAE laws are comparatively more liberal.
Concerns about women’s rights in the Gulf were common, especially among female focus group participants. “As a woman I wouldn’t want to live somewhere where I have fewer rights, where basic rights were only granted recently,” said a 23-year-old medical student from Astana.
Expanding people-to-people connections could help challenge these perceptions and showcase the Gulf’s efforts to improve education, diversify its economies, and engage with international partners. Gulf states are often seen as examples of how leadership priorities can drive rapid development, though their authoritarian systems and reliance on oil also draw criticism.
“I know that these countries don’t have their own manufacturing, as extensive as in other countries. Everything they can extract is natural resources, which can be exhausted at some point. This should be a lesson for all countries, probably, to develop their economies, their production, and not rely on natural resources,” said a 36-year-old female participant in Bishkek.
Labour migration is another key dimension of the growing relationship between the Gulf and Central Asia. Russia’s crackdown on Central Asian workers and reports of coercive recruitment for the war in Ukraine have made the Gulf increasingly attractive as an alternative destination. Yet the region is not perceived as a long-term migration hub on par with Europe or North America. As one Uzbek participant reflected, in the Gulf, migrant workers “are not perceived as important” and are seen as “mere foreigners” who are “used” before they “come back to Uzbekistan, their homeland, with their savings.” Participants expressed more interest in pursuing tourism or short-term work opportunities in the Gulf, citing climate and cultural differences as deterrents to permanent settlement.
To shift this perception, Gulf states will need to demonstrate genuine partnership, rather than simply seeking new pools of cheap labour. This reflects a wider cultural gap. Islam remains a strong unifying force between the two regions, but deeper social engagements are needed.
Prioritising people-to-people connections would help rebalance what is currently a top-down relationship centered on summits and official delegations. Educational exchanges, business partnerships, and tourism could build a more sustainable foundation for relations between the Gulf and Central Asia. Central Asians’ perceptions of other partners, such as Turkey, Europe, and the United States, have been shaped heavily by education and cultural programmes. The Gulf could take a similar approach, bringing Central Asian students and academics into leading universities in the region.
Gulf-funded charity and development projects have also evolved. In the 1990s, mosque construction dominated, reinforcing an image of religious conservatism. Today, philanthropy is broadening to include education, healthcare, and other development priorities.
Still, visits to the Gulf often provide little direct contact with local citizens, as most interactions occur with foreign workers. Structured exchange programmes could help remedy this and create more meaningful, long-term engagement.
As one Uzbek participant observed, the GCC can help Central Asia balance its ties with Russia and China by providing alternative markets and investment. Echoing the Uzbek government’s declared approach to foreign policy, they argued that in order to “preserve neutrality,” Central Asian states must avoid “siding with Russia or China” by pursuing “multi-vector international relations.” Reflecting on the focus group discussion, they added that, “from this perspective, relations with the Gulf states may be beneficial.”
Ultimately, both Central Asia and the GCC have the resources and incentives to forge a deeper partnership—built on forward-looking leadership, people-to-people ties, stable governance, and a shared commitment to development. If grounded in genuine mutual interest, this relationship has the potential to be lasting and transformative.
Photo: Canva
