Tashkent, January 16, 2026: President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on January 15 chaired an expanded meeting to review the performance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Uzbekistan’s diplomatic missions abroad, stressing the need for a renewed, results-driven approach to foreign policy amid rapid geopolitical changes.
Opening the session, the president noted that the meeting was taking place against the backdrop of growing global instability and rising threats to state sovereignty. He emphasized the importance of critically reassessing current foreign policy practices and transitioning to a new organizational format for the work of the Foreign Ministry and overseas diplomatic missions.
President Mirziyoyev described 2025 as a productive year for Uzbekistan’s foreign policy. During the year, high-level visits were conducted to 26 countries, while leaders of several states paid visits to Uzbekistan for the first time in recent history. Multilateral engagement under the “Central Asia Plus” format also gained momentum. In recent years, Uzbekistan has established strategic partnerships with 11 countries, raising the total to 19, and built allied relations with Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Tajikistan.
“As a result of an open, pragmatic, thoughtful, and proactive foreign policy, Uzbekistan is consistently strengthening its position as one of the global centres of peace and diplomacy,” the president said.
Since 2017, Uzbekistan has opened 16 new diplomatic missions and consulates abroad, bringing their total number to 60, while diplomatic relations have been established with 165 countries. Staffing levels and remuneration across embassies, consulates, missions to international organizations, and the Foreign Ministry have also increased. At the same time, the president questioned whether all missions were fully utilizing the opportunities available to them.
He underlined that the role of ambassadors must go beyond political dialogue. “An ambassador is a state representative who attracts investment and technologies, opens new export markets, launches transport and logistics corridors, increases tourist flows, creates conditions for legal labor migration, and, most importantly, protects the rights of our citizens,” he said.
In this context, it was proposed that key performance indicators for ambassadors should include export revenues from host countries, growth in tourist arrivals, and effectiveness in organizing legal labor migration. Special emphasis was placed on strengthening economic diplomacy to boost exports and investment.
During bilateral and multilateral engagements in 2025, Uzbekistan signed agreements on investment projects and trade contracts worth $160 billion. For the first time, foreign trade turnover exceeded $80 billion, exports reached $33.5 billion, and foreign investment surpassed $43 billion. Exports to 75 countries increased by nearly $4.5 billion.
Ambassadors were tasked with expanding exports to the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Africa, and advancing concrete projects in industry, agriculture, chemicals, textiles, greenhouse farming, and services. At the same time, it was noted that Uzbek products remain insufficiently recognized in some markets.
Rising logistics costs were highlighted as a key challenge affecting competitiveness. The president called for diversification of transit routes, optimization of supply chains, and new proposals to reduce transportation costs, particularly for access to European markets.
In agriculture, diplomats were instructed to support the introduction of water-saving technologies, modern farming methods, and innovative greenhouse solutions. Measures were also outlined to expand export markets for chemical products, align domestic manufacturers with international standards, and organize specialized exhibitions and presentations.
The president emphasized the importance of intensifying trade and economic cooperation with Africa as a promising new export destination, directing the development of a clear roadmap with the involvement of relevant ministries and diplomatic missions.
Ambassadors were urged to take personal responsibility for identifying, attracting, and implementing promising projects. To this end, it was decided to introduce financial incentives for ambassadors who successfully bring investment or export initiatives to completion.
The meeting also noted underutilized potential in attracting international grants. According to estimates, closer coordination between ministries, industry leaders, and diplomats could have secured an additional $200–300 million in grant funding last year. Given that international organizations and donor countries announce around $200 billion in grant programs annually, a unified and systematic approach to grant engagement was ordered.
Further instructions included coordinated efforts with ambassadors in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, China, Japan, and Singapore to attract top-100 global universities as partners for Uzbek higher education institutions.
President Mirziyoyev also highlighted the need for stronger cooperation between regional authorities and diplomatic missions to promote regional export products and support local enterprises in accessing foreign markets.
Providing Uzbek citizens with legal, well-paid employment abroad was identified as another priority. While the geography of organized labor migration has expanded, shortcomings remain in several countries, prompting specific directives. Embassies and consulates were instructed to actively protect citizens’ rights, provide qualified legal assistance, abandon “office diplomacy,” and engage directly with compatriots.
In the tourism sector, ambassadors were urged to adopt new approaches to promoting Uzbekistan’s tourism and cultural potential, make better use of visa-free regimes, and attract international outsourcing companies.
The meeting also addressed issues related to expanding foreign policy ties, improving preparation for high-level visits, retraining diplomatic staff, building a talent reserve, strengthening foreign information policy, and enhancing Uzbekistan’s international image through systematic engagement with foreign media.
President Mirziyoyev stressed the need to update the Concept of Foreign Policy of the Republic of Uzbekistan, revising priorities and defining clear tasks to protect national interests. The updated concept, he said, should reflect long-term strategic goals, internal reforms, and national interests in economic diplomacy, security, investment, exports, transport and logistics, as well as water and climate issues.
To recognize diplomatic achievements, the president proposed establishing the honorary title of “Honored Diplomat of the Republic of Uzbekistan.”
Concluding the meeting, President Mirziyoyev stated: “The time has come for a new generation of diplomats — those who achieve concrete results and firmly defend the interests of Uzbekistan in the international arena.”
Reports and proposals from Uzbekistan’s ambassadors abroad were also presented during the session.
