On November 21, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received the United Nations Under-Secretary-General, Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva Michael Møller.
Warmly welcoming the guest, the Head of the state noted with deep satisfaction that the visit of a representative United Nations delegation to participate in the events of the first Asian Forum on Human Rights to be held in Samarkand is another confirmation of the consistently strengthening bilateral cooperation between Uzbekistan and the UN.
It was emphasized that a noticeable intensification of contacts and mutual visits contributed to establishment of a constructive dialogue and expansion of fruitful cooperation of Uzbekistan with structures and institutions of the Organization, aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Currently, Uzbekistan has adopted and jointly implements a number of documents and roadmaps on development of practical cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the International Labour Organization, UNESCO, the World Tourism Organization and other United Nations agencies.
It was emphasized that at the initiative of the Republic of Uzbekistan, a special resolution of the UN General Assembly on the issues of ensuring peace, stability and sustainable development in Central Asian region was adopted in June this year for the first time, which received broad international support.
Joint activity is also continuing on promoting the initiatives of Uzbekistan on adoption of the International Convention on the Rights of Youth and the resolution of the UN General Assembly “Enlightenment and religious tolerance”.
At the meeting, prospects for development of bilateral cooperation between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the United Nations, as well as current issues of international and regional agenda were discussed.
Special attention was paid to uniting efforts of the world community to mitigate the consequences of the Aral ecological disaster, including through the implementation of socio-economic and humanitarian programs and Aral Sea region projects.
A practical step in this direction will become the implementation of Uzbekistan’s initiative on creation of a special Trust Fund under the aegis of the UN. On November 27 this year, the first high-level event of this structure will be held at the headquarters of the Organization, in New York City.
The sides also considered issues of comprehensive assistance to a political settlement of the situation in Afghanistan, which is a key factor in ensuring peace and stability in the region and far beyond its borders.
The UN Under-Secretary-General Michael Møller expressed his gratitude to the President of Uzbekistan for the warm welcome, as well as conveyed sincere greetings and best wishes of the Secretary-General of the Organization, António Guterres.
He highly appreciated the large-scale reforms and transformations carried out in Uzbekistan at the new stage, aimed primarily at ensuring human interests, rights and freedoms.
It was emphasized that the Action Strategy on five priority areas of development of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2017-2021, in its essence and content is consonant with the goals and objectives of the UN Sustainable Development Agenda for the period up to 2030.
Michael Møller expressed full support of the Organization for the efforts of Uzbekistan on strengthening trust, good neighborly relations and constructive partnership in Central Asia, as well as promoting sustainable development in the region.
The UN confirmed readiness to deepen multifaceted cooperation with Uzbekistan, including within the framework of implementation of the results of the first Asian Forum on Human Rights to be held in Uzbekistan in connection with the 70th Anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
