President Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired an expanded meeting on January 15 to review the activities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Uzbekistan’s diplomatic missions abroad, setting out new priorities amid shifting global dynamics.
The president noted the discussion was taking place against the backdrop of sharp geopolitical changes and growing threats to state sovereignty. He stressed the need for a critical reassessment of current foreign policy efforts and a transition to a renewed format for organizing the work of the foreign ministry and diplomatic missions.
Mirziyoyev described 2025 as a productive year for Uzbekistan’s foreign policy. During the year, high-level visits were conducted to 26 countries, while Uzbekistan hosted visits by the leaders of several states for the first time in recent history. Multilateral cooperation in the “Central Asia Plus” format gained momentum, and strategic partnerships were established with 11 countries, bringing their total number to 19. Allied relations were formed 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, increasing their total number to 60 and expanding diplomatic relations to 165 countries. Staffing levels and salaries across embassies, consular offices, missions to international organizations, and the foreign ministry have also been increased.
At the same time, the president questioned whether all diplomatic missions were fully utilizing their potential. He said ambassadors should play a broader role beyond political dialogue, including attracting investment and technology, expanding exports, developing transport and logistics corridors, boosting tourism, facilitating legal labour migration, and protecting the rights of Uzbek citizens abroad.
In this context, Mirziyoyev said key performance indicators for ambassadors should include export revenues from host countries, growth in tourist arrivals, and progress in organizing legal labour migration.
Economic diplomacy was identified as a central priority. In 2025, agreements on investment projects and trade contracts worth $160bn were signed during bilateral and multilateral engagements. Foreign trade turnover exceeded $80bn for the first time, exports reached $33.5bn, and foreign investment surpassed $43bn. Exports to 75 countries rose by nearly $4.5bn.
Ambassadors were instructed to expand exports to the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Africa, and to promote projects in industry, agriculture, chemicals, textiles, greenhouse farming, and services. The president noted that Uzbek products remain insufficiently recognized in some markets.
Rising logistics costs were highlighted as a factor undermining competitiveness. Officials were tasked with diversifying transit routes, optimizing logistics chains, and developing proposals to reduce transport costs, particularly for access to European markets.
In agriculture, diplomats were instructed to support the adoption of water-saving and modern farming technologies, including innovative greenhouse solutions. Measures were also outlined to expand export markets for chemical products, align domestic production with international standards, and organize specialized exhibitions and presentations.
The African continent was identified as a promising new export destination, with instructions to develop a clear roadmap involving relevant ministries and diplomatic missions.
Mirziyoyev said ambassadors should take a direct interest in identifying and implementing viable projects, announcing that financial incentives would be introduced for diplomats who successfully deliver investment or export initiatives.
The president also criticized the underuse of opportunities to attract international grants, noting that closer coordination could have secured an additional $200–300m in funding last year. With global grant programmes totaling around $200bn annually, he called for a unified and systematic approach to grant work.
Further tasks included attracting top-100-ranked foreign universities as partners for Uzbek higher education institutions, particularly through cooperation with ambassadors in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, China, Japan, and Singapore.
Mirziyoyev also highlighted weak coordination between regions and diplomatic missions, urging regional governors and ambassadors to jointly promote regional export products and support local companies entering foreign markets.
Legal and well-paid employment opportunities abroad were named another priority. While the geography of organised labour migration has expanded, the president said performance remains uneven across countries and issued instructions to improve this work. He stressed that embassies and consulates must actively protect citizens’ rights, provide legal assistance, and move away from “office diplomacy” in favour of direct engagement with compatriots.
In tourism, ambassadors were tasked with adopting new approaches to promoting Uzbekistan’s cultural and tourism potential, making better use of visa-free regimes, and attracting international outsourcing companies.
The meeting also addressed preparations for high-level visits, retraining diplomatic personnel, forming a reserve of young specialists, strengthening foreign information policy, and improving Uzbekistan’s international image through systematic engagement with foreign media.
Mirziyoyev emphasized the need to update Uzbekistan’s foreign policy concept to reflect long-term strategic goals and national interests in economic diplomacy, security, investment, exports, transport and logistics, and water and climate issues.
He also proposed establishing the honorary title of “Honored Diplomat of the Republic of Uzbekistan” to recognize professional achievements.
“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,” the president voiced.
Reports and proposals from Uzbek ambassadors abroad were heard during the session.
