Interaction of the Republic of Uzbekistan with the UN

TEHRAN (Iran News) Currently, Tashkent is comprehensively expanding its contacts with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and other UN entities. In this context, particular importance is attached to ensuring security and stability in Central Asia and enhancing its role in the international relations system.

Thanks to the revitalization of Uzbekistan’s partnership with the UN, significant progress has been made in fostering a new atmosphere of mutually beneficial cooperation in Central Asia, based on mutual trust and good neighbourliness.

As a result, there has been a noticeable consolidation of regional states, which have become more active in advancing joint regional and international initiatives, programs, and projects aimed at promoting sustainable development in Central Asia.

For instance, while from 1991 to 2016, about 20 resolutions were adopted in the UN at the initiative of Central Asian states, and from 2016 to the present, 18 resolutions have been adopted.

These documents address important issues such as sustainable development, security, peace building, and trust-building in the region, as well as the preservation of water resources, climate change, ecology, and the prevention of radiological threats. Protecting the rights of youth and promoting tolerance have also gained significant attention.

Moreover, Uzbekistan has become an active participant in advocating for the interests of Central Asia within the UN framework. For instance, between 2018 and 2022, six UN General Assembly resolutions were adopted at the initiative of Uzbekistan. These resolutions include “Strengthening Regional International Cooperation for Peace, Stability, and Sustainable Development in the Central Asian Region” (June 2018), “Education and Religious Tolerance” (December 2018), and “Declaration of the Aral Sea Region as a Zone of Environmental Innovations and Technologies” (May 2021).

Collectively, all the resolutions and documents initiated by Central Asian countries within the UN have undeniably laid a strong foundation for uniting the efforts of regional states and the international community in ensuring the political, economic, social, and environmental security of Central Asia.

Several key factors have played a significant role in the successful promotion of Uzbekistan’s interaction with the UN:

Firstly, intensive diplomacy by the President of Uzbekistan and the intensification of political dialogue within the UN.

Starting in 2016, thanks to the political will of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Tashkent has actively participated in the activities of the UN General Assembly and its specialized agencies. In particular, the President of Uzbekistan took part in and addressed the 72nd, 75th, and 76th sessions of the UN General Assembly, as well as the High-Level Segment of the 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

During this period, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held three meetings with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (in June and September 2017 and April 2019), which allowed for comprehensive discussions and coordination of effective measures to develop mutually beneficial cooperation, primarily in ensuring regional security and sustainable development in Central Asia.

There are 11 Plans of Practical Measures for the Development of Cooperation between Uzbekistan and the UN and its specialized agencies, adopted and being implemented between 2021 and 2023. These measures undoubtedly contribute to enhancing the resilience of Central Asia to external challenges.

Secondly, it promotes a constructive agenda in combating terrorism, drug trafficking, and other transnational challenges.

Secondly, it promotes a constructive agenda in combating terrorism, drug trafficking, and other transnational challenges.

Today, Uzbekistan is a party to 14 major international legal instruments and actively participates in global efforts to counter international terrorism. Uzbekistan was among the first to support the fight against this threat, including the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (GCTS), which has become a comprehensive, collective, and universally recognized legal framework for uniting national and international efforts in countering terrorism.

Thirdly, the expansion of cooperation on establishing peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Uzbekistan consistently advocates for the peaceful, political, and diplomatic settlement of the situation in Afghanistan. In this regard, Uzbekistan’s pragmatic and constructive policy towards Afghanistan has become comprehensive and dynamic since Shavkat Mirziyoyev assumed the presidency of the country. Thus, Tashkent has intensified its efforts to address the Afghan issue and continues to call for the coordination of all countries’ efforts to stabilize the situation in Afghanistan within the framework of the UN.

It is important to note that in all of President Uzbekistan’s speeches at the United Nations, special attention is given to the resolution of the Afghan issue. Concrete initiatives are put forward to assist in achieving stability in this country. These initiatives also demonstrate Tashkent’s commitment to preserving the central role of the UN in resolving the Afghan issue and its interest in uniting the efforts of the entire international community to establish lasting peace in Afghanistan.

In particular, Sh. Mirziyoyev has repeatedly stated at the UN General Assembly that ‘issues of peace and stability in Afghanistan should remain at the centre of the UN’s attention’ and ‘the role of the UN in resolving the situation in Afghanistan needs to be strengthened, and its voice should be louder than ever.’

Fourth, progressive cooperation with the UN on youth policy.

In the context of the growing population in Central Asian countries, where youth make up a significant demographic group – about 30%, Uzbekistan, aware of the increasing demand for socialization, education, and employment from the youth, actively collaborates with the UN in this direction. Effective youth policy is a crucial condition for ensuring stability and sustainable development in Central Asia.

That is why President Sh. Mirziyoyev pays special attention to positioning youth not as a risk but as agents of positive change and a source of new opportunities for the sustainable development of Central Asian countries and the region as a whole.

In this context, significant work has been done in recent years. In particular, in December 2022, in Samarkand, in collaboration with international partners, including the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and its Regional Office, UNICEF, UNDP, and others, a Global Forum on “Human Rights Education” was organized. The Samarkand Action Plan for 2023-2025 on the development of human rights education was adopted as a result. It is important to note that the initiative to hold this forum was put forward by the President of Uzbekistan at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly and the 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

Fifth, consolidating efforts to address regional climate change issues.

Currently, the Central Asian region is increasingly experiencing the consequences of global climate change. Climate change contributes to the exacerbation of water scarcity, land degradation, desertification, and the increasing number of natural disasters, which pose a critical problem for the region and a serious threat to sustainable development.

According to the United Nations, Central Asia is experiencing a faster rate of warming than other parts of the world.

In this context, as well as recognizing the importance of the issue and the need for effective measures to address the mitigation and adaptation to the effects of climate change, the climate agenda becomes a priority for Uzbekistan. President Sh. Mirziyoyev has repeatedly stated that “Uzbekistan attaches serious attention to the issues of combating climate change, protecting the environment, and biodiversity. This is our human duty to present and future generations.”

Thanks to Tashkent’s efforts, the Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund for the Aral Sea Region was established in 2018 under the auspices of the UN, which has become a reliable platform for practical assistance from the international community to the population of the region living in an environmentally challenging area. To date, the Fund has attracted $134.5 million in financial resources from donor countries.

A significant achievement was the unanimous adoption of a special resolution by the UN General Assembly during its 75th session in 2021, proposed by the President of Uzbekistan Sh. Mirziyoyev declared the Aral Sea region a zone of environmental innovation and technology. Approximately 60 states co-authored the resolution, in which the UN General Assembly expressed support for regional initiatives and measures aimed at improving the environmental, social, economic, and demographic situation in the Aral Sea region.

In addition to this, in 2023, the Central Asian University for Environmental Studies and Climate Change was established in Tashkent. Uzbekistan actively participates permanently in the annual sessions of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

On September 9-10, 2023, in Tehran a delegation from Uzbekistan led by the Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change Aziz Abdukhakimov took part in the International Conference on Combatting Sand and Dust Storm. Within the framework of this conference, he held a meeting with Ali Salajeghe, the head of Iran’s Department of Environment. Twhe parties agreed on cooperation in the fields of environmental protection and climate change.

Furthermore, Uzbekistan’s participation in the 78th session of the UN General Assembly will contribute to the formation of a broad and effective agenda for further engaging the potential of global cooperation in strengthening the security and stability of the region.

Overall, it can be noted that Uzbekistan’s proactive diplomacy within the framework of the UN to promote the interests of Central Asia opens up wide opportunities and prospects for practical interaction with the international community. Uzbekistan’s and Central Asia’s openness to developing global relationships will transform challenges into opportunities, ultimately contributing to the formation of a new model of regional cooperation in changing circumstances.