Eldor Tulyakov,
Executive Director of the Development Strategy Center

International experts highly commend the ongoing changes in the renewed Uzbekistan, the transparent, pragmatic domestic and foreign policy. Stepping up on a new level of rigorous, profound reforms and transformations, our country demonstrates a strong political will. It is recognized that all efforts related to the implementation of the Action Strategy along this path have their own specifics.

Uzbekistan’s friendly relations with foreign countries based on equal interests, effective cooperation with international organizations and structures prove key in strengthening the role and image of our country in the world community.

In recent years, Uzbekistan's cooperation with such a reputable organization as the UN has acquired a new meaning and is being strengthened on a large scale.

The enhanced collaboration is based on the National Action Strategy, which was developed at the initiative of the President and passed public discussion. The document, as international experts recognize, fully complies with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and spurs the implementation of major reforms promoted in the international arena and domestically. Annual state programs are adopted and consistently implemented in line with the key objectives of the Action Strategy. Before adoption, each state program is put for a nationwide discussion, relying on the principles of democracy to ensure the practical implementation of the people's power.

Presently, Uzbekistan's cooperation with the UN and its specialized agencies is developing in the following areas:

- Ensuring human rights (ensuring the rights and freedoms of imprisoned persons, persons under investigation, the rights of the child, ensuring justice, the rule of law);

- Search for solutions to environmental problems (development of the Aral Sea region, application of modern technologies in industry, rational use of energy resources, prevention of the drying up of the Aral Sea);

- Ensuring gender equality;

- Regional security (religious extremism and terrorism, combating human trafficking, ensuring peace in Afghanistan, preventing drug trafficking, etc.);

– Other urgent socio-economic issues.

The current fight against the coronavirus infection and its negative impact on socio-economic stability have turned into a global issue. The UN and its specialized agencies have been  actively engaged in this cooperation.

Due to the pandemic, the 75th session of the UN General Assembly this year is also being held online. The current situation has affected the agenda of the most authoritative annual events, which suggests the need to adapt such important events to today's reality.

It is worth noting that the agenda of the 75th anniversary session is very holistic:

- Joint action against COVID-19;

- Regional security;

- Promotion of human rights;

- Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals;

- Fight against terrorism;

- Eradication of illegal drug trafficking;

- Economic cooperation;

- Discussion of environmental problems and other issues.
 

Speaking about the participation of Uzbekistan in the high level conference, it is worth recalling that during his speech at the 72nd  session of the UN General Assembly in September 2017 in New York, the President of Uzbekistan put forward a number of important proposals and statements.

All the initiatives of the head of Uzbekistan have been widely supported and implemented by the world community.

Specifically, we can see that five out of the six ideas of Shavkat Mirziyoyev have already been implemented:

1. The UN General Assembly Resolution in 2018 was entitled ‘Strengthening Regional and International Cooperation to Ensure Peace, Stability and Sustainable Development in the Central Asian Region’.

2. The Special Resolution of the UN General Assembly in 2018 was dedicated to ‘Enlightenment and Religious Tolerance’.

3. Special Resolution ‘Sustainable Tourism and Sustainable Development in Central Asia’ in 2019.

4. Consultative meetings of the heads of Central Asian states have been established.

5. A UN Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund for the Aral Sea Region was established.

Currently, work is underway to prepare a draft UN Convention on the Rights of Youth. As we know, this issue was recently widely discussed within the framework of the Samarkand Web Forum on Human Rights. It has to be taken into account that this issue takes longer time due to its complexity.

We believe that, based on the agenda, Uzbekistan will put forward important and relevant initiatives at today's session. Therefore, our whole nation is looking forward to the speech of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Highly likely, among the initiatives, the leader of Uzbekistan will put forward a draft UN resolution ‘Aral Sea Region - Zone of Environmental Innovations and Technologies’.
 

The draft resolution proves key in attracting investments and strengthening regional cooperation in the implementation of new, innovative and advanced engineering solutions to raise the living standards of the Aral Sea population, and improve the environment.

Along with that, the initiative will implement the principles of a green economy, the integrated application of environmentally friendly, energy-saving and water-saving technologies, the technologies that ensure food security, prevent desertification, develop environmental migration and ecotourism.

Keeping in mind that the Aral issue is a global problem not just for Uzbekistan, but for the whole world, we reiterate its relevance. Therefore, in solving this problem, it would make sense to act jointly with the international community.