From April 15 to 19, 2026, the V Plenary Assembly of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Central Asia was held in Tashkent. The meeting was attended by the bishops and ordinaries of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Mongolia, and Azerbaijan.

Highlights of the V Plenary Assembly:

• At the opening of the Plenary Assembly, bishops and ordinaries expressed their firm support for Pope Leo XIV in his peacemaking efforts and pastoral ministry, especially toward those suffering from wars and injustice. They offered fervent prayers for peace for all humanity.
• On April 17, 2026, elections for the governing bodies of the Conference were held. Cardinal Giorgio Marengo was elected President, Bishop José Luis Mumbiela Sierra as Vice President, and Bishop Yevgeniy Zinkovskiy as Secretary General.
• During the plenary sessions, the bishops shared pastoral experiences, discussed current challenges faced by local Churches, and reflected on the joys and hopes of the faithful, strengthening unity and responsibility for their shared mission.
• On April 18 in Tashkent, the Catholic ordinaries of Central Asia visited the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan, marking a significant sign of openness, mutual respect, and commitment to interreligious dialogue.
• The ordinaries of Central Asia called on all the faithful to pray earnestly for peace for peoples suffering from unjust wars, entrusting them to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, and imploring a just and lasting peace for all humanity.