Abstract
<jats:p>Historically, Central Asia has not developed a unified regional identity, as the young republics primarily focused on building national sovereignty and state-building. However, for the first time since 1989, the leadership of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan has changed. The end of the rule of Islam Karimov and Nursultan Nazarbayev paved the way for a new dialogue in the region. The article investigates how the new presidents Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev “construct” the image of Central Asia in their official rhetoric. Despite the significant interest in regionalism, the way the presidents of the two countries represent the Central Asian identity in their official rhetoric remains insufficiently analyzed. The discursive analysis and changes in rhetoric in the speeches of the two leaders from 2016 to 2025 were examined to address this existing gap. The result of the analysis demonstrated that Uzbekistan uses a shared historical memory and promotes cultural unity as the foundation of regional identity. Kazakhstan instead adheres to pragmatic cooperation and promotes itself as the “first among equals” (primus inter pares). Since 2022, both countries have increasingly emphasized sovereignty and regional self-determination in the context of geopolitical instability. By examining how identity is formed “from above,” this work contributes to understanding the political significance of today's Central Asia and highlights the role of discourse in shaping regional unity in the post-Soviet space.</jats:p>