New York : Distinguished Madam President!
Distinguished Secretary-General!
Heads of delegations!
Ladies and gentlemen!
I’m truly delighted to extend my congratulations to you with the 80th anniversary Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Our meeting today is taking place in a complex, rapidly changing global situation that calls for new approaches to the work of our Organization and its future.
Today, across the world, the role and place of international institutions are weakening, confrontations, conflicts, and wars are intensifying, technological and social inequality is increasing, and economic and humanitarian crises are deepening.
All of this is creating an entirely new and unsettling geopolitical reality.
We highly commend the efforts of His Excellency Secretary-General António Guterres aimed at maintaining our Organization as the main platform for the peaceful resolution of the most difficult and pressing global issues.
In this regard, we fully support the UN80 Initiative and reaffirm our strong commitment to the Pact for the Future.
We support the transformation of the United Nations Security Council and the expansion of its membership in order to effectively address current threats and challenges, and protect the interests of the developing countries.
Distinguished participants of the session!
We are pursuing a policy to build a democratic, law-governed, social, and secular New Uzbekistan in full alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals.
To this end, we are consistently continuing our irreversible reforms.
Our top-priority goal is to fundamentally transform the lives of each and every family and citizen in our country, to enhance human dignity and well-being.
In recent years, we have managed to reduce the poverty rate in Uzbekistan from 35 percent to 6.6 percent.
We have achieved this result primarily through the transformation of the education and science sector;
establishment of innovative industries and high-tech manufacturing enterprises;
modernization of green energy and transport infrastructure;
comprehensive development of small businesses, and, as a result, the creation of millions of jobs.
In our country, preschool education coverage has increased from 27 to 78 percent, while the higher education uptake among our youth has risen from 9 to 42 percent.
Most importantly, we consider enhancing the prestige of the teaching profession as a key issue.
In order to create a single international platform for the exchange of teachers’ experience and knowledge, we propose to hold a World Summit on Professional Education in Uzbekistan.
We are also creating an advanced healthcare system in our country.
We invite all our foreign partners to participate in a high-level event dedicated to the fight against childhood cancer and other serious diseases, which will be held tomorrow at our initiative at the United Nations headquarters.
Another important area is gender policy.
We aim to further strengthen the role of women in the social, political, and business life of our country.
We advocate for holding the Asian Women’s Forum regularly in our region, turning it into a permanent platform.
I would like to emphasize once again: we remain committed to our obligations in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
By the year 2030, we intend to join the ranks of “upper-middle-income” countries. To this end, we will consistently continue our open and pragmatic policy.
Ladies and gentlemen!
Eight years ago, from this esteemed podium, we declared our firm determination to transform Central Asia into a region of peace, good neighborliness, and partnership.
Today, we can confidently declare that we have achieved this strategic goal. The era of closed borders, unresolved disputes, and conflicts is in the past.
In recent years, the volume of mutual trade, investments, and transportation of goods in our region has increased fivefold. We are implementing joint investment funds, cross-border trade and industrial cooperation zones, and major infrastructure projects.
We also recognize as a common achievement that the Consultative Meetings of the Heads of State of Central Asia have become an effective mechanism for deepening regional integration.
I can confidently affirm that as of now, we are at the beginning stage of forming a New Central Asia.
Our region, thanks to its unity, stability, and distinct identity, is steadily securing a stronger position in the system of international relations as an independent actor.
In order to achieve our goals, we intend to give top priority to expanding mutually beneficial ties with all our foreign partners.
In this regard, together with the UN structures, we propose to implement a number of new projects and programs in our region.
In particular, we propose:
- holding an international forum under the auspices of ECOSOC and UNCTAD dedicated to the economic development of the Central Asian states;
- establishing a regional hub for green technologies in industry jointly with UNIDO;
- adopting programs on the rational use of water resources, the creation of “green” spaces, and the achievement of demographic resilience in our region;
In addition, we propose the adoption of a UN General Assembly resolution supporting the efforts of the Central Asian countries aimed at deepening regional partnership and economic integration.
Distinguished heads of delegations!
Speaking about global and regional security and sustainable development, it is impossible to overlook the issue of Afghanistan.
Supporting the aspirations of the Afghan people for a peaceful and stable life requires the united efforts of the international community.
I would like to emphasize that it is of utmost importance to prevent this country’s isolation.
We intend to implement large-scale economic and infrastructure projects in that country. We propose to adopt a dedicated UN resolution on the development of transport and energy corridors of international significance through the territory of Afghanistan.
At the same time, we cannot turn a blind eye to the deeply worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. We call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the continuation of political negotiations.
In line with the UN resolutions, we remain steadfast supporters of the “two state solution” principle.
We are also deeply concerned by the situation around Ukraine. We welcome the start of high-level dialogue aimed at resolving this crisis through diplomatic means.
Distinguished participants of the event!
Effective measures are being undertaken to implement the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in Central Asia.
In cooperation with the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism, a Regional Council on Rehabilitation and Reintegration was established. We propose to transform this Council into an International Competence Center.
This body will serve as an important platform for exchanging experiences on adapting to peaceful life for those repatriated from conflict zones.
Furthermore, we stand ready to provide all the necessary conditions for the establishment of a regional Office of Counter-Terrorism in Uzbekistan.
Dear ladies and gentlemen!
In today’s world, full of threats, we are witnessing how vulnerable the global transport system is. These challenges primarily have a negative impact on the stability of landlocked developing countries.
It is of utmost importance to ensure the security of international transit corridors and to establish efficient logistics networks.
In this regard, we believe the time has come to introduce a global mechanism on “Strengthening transport connectivity to achieve Sustainable Development Goals”.
I would also like to draw special attention to the increasingly acute challenges of climate change.
For instance, the consequences of the Aral Sea desiccation must remain at the constant focus of the international community
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
