The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received the credentials of the Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Hellenic Republic Paraskevi Tseveleki, the Republic of Indonesia Siti Ruhaini Dzuhayatin, the Republic of Latvia Ģirts Jaunzems, the French Republic Walid Fouque, the Russian Federation Alexey Erkhov, Japan Kenji Hirata, and the Republic of Tajikistan Nasreddin Ismatullo.
The Head of State sincerely congratulated the heads of diplomatic missions on the beginning of their service in New Uzbekistan.
It was noted that, in today’s challenging period, as complex geopolitical and economic problems intensify worldwide, the work of diplomats is becoming increasingly significant.
“You have spent several months in our country and have seen with your own eyes how rapidly our state is developing and becoming one of the centers of global diplomacy”, the President stated.
In particular, this year Uzbekistan successfully hosted the Tashkent International Investment Forum and the meeting of the Foreign Investors Council, the 150th anniversary assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the first Central Asia – EU summit, the International Climate Forum, the historic session of the UNESCO General Conference, and the summit of the Heads of State of Central Asia.
Over the past years, 13 UN General Assembly resolutions have been adopted on the initiative of Uzbekistan.
This year, Uzbekistan rose by 19 positions in the Sustainable Development Goals Index and entered the top five states demonstrating the highest progress of the past decade. Over the last eight years, the economy has more than doubled. The poverty rate has fallen from 35 to 6.6 percent.
As a result of the openness policy, a visa-free regime has been introduced for nearly 100 countries. The geography of exports continues to expand steadily. This year, for the first time in history, foreign trade turnover exceeded $66 billion. The volume of attracted foreign investment reached 39 billion.
The Head of State also expressed special gratitude to the governments of the represented countries for their active support of Uzbekistan’s accession to the World Trade Organization.
Addressing the Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic, the President noted that Greece is one of Uzbekistan’s traditional and promising partners within the European Union.
This year, bilateral political consultations were successfully held. Since April, the Embassy of Greece in Tashkent has been operating.
Since the beginning of this year, trade between the two countries has increased fivefold. The importance of promoting cooperation across the pharmaceuticals, light and food industries, energy, information technology, and transport sectors was emphasized.
The need to ensure the effectiveness of the upcoming Intergovernmental Commission meeting and the Uzbekistan – Greece Business Forum, scheduled to be held in Tashkent in the near future, was noted.
Speaking about relations with the Republic of Indonesia, the President stated that our peoples have been historically connected by long-standing historical, religious, and cultural ties.
It was emphasized that trade turnover between the two countries has increased by 60 percent since the beginning of the year. Joint ventures in the chemical industry, agriculture, telecommunications, and tourism are operating successfully. Direct air flights will be launched in December.
Confidence was expressed that next year’s meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission and the business forum in Tashkent, as well as political consultations in Jakarta, will yield substantial results.
During the discussion of relations with the Republic of Latvia, the Head of State noted the steady development of political and economic ties and the intensification of business community contacts.
Over the past five years, Uzbekistan’s exports to Latvia and the number of joint enterprises have tripled.
The office of the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia is operating in Uzbekistan.
Recently, the Uzbekistan Culture Days and a Rectors’ Forum were successfully held in Riga.
It was emphasized that the signing of a migration agreement, the increase in the number of flights, and the effective use of economic cooperation mechanisms will contribute to further rapprochement between the peoples of the two countries.
Speaking about the French Republic, the President stressed that thanks to active political dialogue, relations between the countries have been elevated to the level of a strategic partnership. Last month, the Strategic Planning Group’s first meeting was held.
During the historic high-level visit to Paris in March this year, joint projects worth $10 billion were agreed upon. Since the beginning of the year, mutual trade has exceeded $1.2 billion.
A Cooperation Program with the French Development Agency until 2030 has been approved. A joint Uzbek-French university has been opened.
The Uzbekistan Culture Days and the exhibition showcasing the country’s tourism potential, held this year in Paris, contributed to further rapprochement between people.
The necessity of holding the first meeting of the Joint Investment Council and the Interregional Forum next year was noted.
The Russian Federation is a time-tested strategic partner and ally of Uzbekistan.
Last year, mutual trade approached $12 billion. More than 3,000 enterprises with Russian capital operate in Uzbekistan. Since the beginning of the year, $4 billion of investments have been utilized. Branches of 15 Russian universities are functioning effectively.
This year, a meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Commission, the INNOPROM International Industrial Exhibition, the Council of Regional Heads, political consultations, the Rectors’ Forum, Russia Culture Days, and other events were held.
The importance of holding a productive Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation meeting and of intensifying interregional dialogue was emphasized.
One of Uzbekistan’s foreign policy priorities is expanding its strategic partnership with Japan.
Representations of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), and Nagoya University are operating effectively in Uzbekistan.
Projects totaling $8 billion are being implemented in telecommunications, energy, healthcare, infrastructure development, education, and tourism.
In August, the first meeting of the Strategic Dialogue was held, and last month in Samarkand, the Rectors’ Forum took place.
In Osaka, within the framework of the EXPO 2025, Uzbekistan’s National Day was successfully organized.
Confidence was expressed that the upcoming high-level talks and business contacts in Tokyo next month will give new impetus to bilateral cooperation.
Thanks to the shared political will, relations between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in recent years have reached the level of strategic partnership and alliance.
Border issues have been fully resolved, and transport links have been restored. Cooperation between parliaments, governments, regions, and business communities has intensified.
The volume of mutual trade has increased more than fivefold and is approaching $1 billion. It was emphasized that the creation of the “Oybek – Fotehobod” free trade and border zone and the “Andarkhan” trade and logistics center will contribute to a manifold increase in trade turnover.
The potential for implementing joint projects in industry, transport, geology, energy, agriculture, water management, tourism, education, and culture was noted.
Following the ceremony, the Head of State wished the newly appointed ambassadors great success in their honorable mission, urged them to make effective use of all available opportunities to strengthen partnerships, and recommended active engagement with the regions and representatives of the private sector.
In turn, the diplomats expressed their gratitude for the warm reception and the conditions created for their fruitful work, and emphasized their readiness to use all their professional experience and knowledge to actively advance multifaceted cooperation with Uzbekistan.
