The article analyses the role of civil society institutions in developing regional cooperation in Central Asia through Track II and people’s diplomacy. Using qualitative content analysis and comparative methods, it examines the concept of Track II diplomacy, foreign experience and the transnational advocacy network approach. The study substantiates the establishment of “political dialogue clubs”, a regional NGO network in health care and social protection, and informal expert dialogues on water, ecology and migration as tools for strengthening trust and regional integration.

Track II diplomacy, people’s diplomacy, civil society institutions, non-governmental organizations, regional cooperation, Central Asia, political dialogue clubs, transnational advocacy networks, boomerang effect.

Mirziyoyev Sh.M. Yangi Oʻzbekiston strategiyasi. – Toshkent: Oʻzbekiston, 2021. – 464 b.

Ruiz E. Track II diplomacy in conflict resolution: the role of religious organisations as mediating powers. – Madrid: Universidad Pontificia Comillas. URL: https://repositorio.comillas.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11531/56840/TFGRII_Ruiz%20Gimenez%20Esther.pdf?sequence=3

Davidson W.D., Montville J.V. Foreign Policy According to Freud // Foreign Policy. – 1981–1982. – No. 45. – P. 145–157.

Kaye D.D. Talking to the Enemy: Track Two Diplomacy in the Middle East and South Asia. – Santa Monica: RAND Corporation, 2007.

Diamond L., McDonald J. Multi-Track Diplomacy: A Systems Approach to Peace. – 3rd ed. – West Hartford: Kumarian Press, 1996.

Track two diplomacy // DiploFoundation. URL: https://www.diplomacy.edu/topics/track-two-diplomacy/

Onditi F. Introduction: Diplomatic Thought and Practice // The Palgrave Handbook of Diplomatic Thought and Practice in the Digital Age. – Cham: Springer, 2023. – P. 1–31. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-28214-0_1

Heathershaw J. Post-conflict Tajikistan: The politics of peacebuilding and the emergence of legitimate order. – London: Routledge, 2009.

Keck M.E., Sikkink K. Activists beyond borders: Advocacy networks in international politics. – Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1998.

Geybullayeva A. Nagorno Karabakh 2.0: How New Media and Track Two Diplomacy Initiatives are Fostering Change // Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs. – 2012. – Vol. 32, No. 2.

Abdullaev I., Kazbekov J., Manthritilake H., Jumaboev K. Water User Groups in Central Asia: Emerging Form of Collective Action in Irrigation Water Management // Water Resources Management. – 2010. – Vol. 24. – P. 1029–1043.

Söderbaum F. Rethinking Regionalism. – London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2016.

McInnes C., Kamradt-Scott A., Lee K. et al. Framing global health: The governance challenge // Global Public Health. – 2012. – Vol. 7, Suppl. 2. – P. S83–S94.

Kickbusch I., Silberschmidt G., Buss P. Global health diplomacy: the need for new perspectives, strategic approaches and skills in global health // Bulletin of the World Health Organization. – 2007. – Vol. 85, No. 3. – P. 230–232.

Kickbusch I., Gleicher D. Governance for health in the 21st century. – Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2012.

Betsill M.M., Corell E. (Eds.). NGO diplomacy: The influence of nongovernmental organizations in international environmental negotiations. – Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2008.