On December 13, in Tashkent, Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov and Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu held an inaugural meeting of the Strategic Partnership Dialogue between Uzbekistan and the United States.
Today, December 14, the MFA made public joint statement of Uzbekistan and the United States following the meeting.
It is noted that the delegations confirmed their mutual interest in strengthening ties between people through academic and research exchanges, as well as opportunities for professional education, English language programs and STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
The United States highlighted its support for Uzbekistan’s efforts to combat gender-based violence and discrimination, increase the representation of women in decision-making processes, and modernize the education system.
“The Uzbek side stressed the importance of cooperation in the field of preservation of cultural heritage and expressed interest in concluding an agreement on the protection of cultural property with the United States. Delegations expressed interest in further expanding cooperation in promoting respect for freedom of religion or belief, combating human trafficking, promoting respect for women’s rights and supporting independent media and civil society,” the document says.
In addition, the United States recognized Uzbekistan’s ongoing progress in combating forced labor and eradicating torture, reaffirmed its support for further institutionalizing reforms, and underlined the potential for mutually beneficial cooperation in these areas through USAID and other programs.
FM Abdulaziz Kamilov and Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu expressed the commitment of Uzbekistan and the United States to continue to provide humanitarian support to the Afghan people. The United States expressed appreciation for the assistance provided to humanitarian aid providers at the Cargo Center in Termez and welcomed Uzbekistan’s initiative to establish a regional logistics hub in Termez under the auspices of the United Nations to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
The parties also spoke in favor of further intensifying regional interaction within the framework of the C5+1 format, as well as the trade and investment framework agreement (TIFA).
“An agreement was reached to continue a constructive exchange of views on topical issues within the framework of expert-level working groups. The delegations discussed a timetable for major events for 2022, including preparations for celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations. FM Abdulaziz Kamilov and Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu have confirmed their intention to hold the next meeting of the dialogue in 2022 in Washington,” the conclusion reads.
