On September 19, 2017, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, at the UN Headquarters in New York.

New York, September 19. Special correspondent of UzA Anvar Samadov reports.

On September 19, 2017, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, at the UN Headquarters in New York.

The Head of our country warmly recalled the conversation with the Secretary-General in Samarkand in June this year and reiterated the similarity of views and assessments on most pressing issues of the international development and regional agenda.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev expressed his gratitude to António Guterres for his support of the Development Strategy of Uzbekistan for 2017-2021, which is the Roadmap for achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The President of our country informed about the ongoing large-scale reforms within the framework of Development Strategy. In particular, the adoption of Concept of administrative reform, the main purpose of which is to implement the idea “it is not the people who must serve the government bodies, but rather the government bodies that must serve the people”. Liberalization of monetary policy is carried out.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev shared with António Guterres the vision of Uzbekistan on the prospects of cooperation between our country and the UN, as well as the views on issues of the regional agenda. The Head of our state emphasized that “The main priority in foreign policy is the Central Asian region”.

The President of Uzbekistan invited the UN Secretary-General to participate personally at the International conference on pressing issues of security and sustainable development in Central Asia to be held on November 10-11, 2017 in Samarkand.

António Guterres sincerely thanked Shavkat Mirziyoyev for his hospitality and warm welcome during his visit to Uzbekistan. He highly appraised the outcomes of the negotiations held in Samarkand. Particular attention was drawn to the adoption of the Plan of practical measures for further development of cooperation with the UN for 2017-2020, including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The UN Secretary-General noted the profound content of the Statement of the President of Uzbekistan at the 72nd session of the General Assembly. According to António Guterres, the initiatives forwarded by the Leader of our country from the high rostrum of the United Nations are important and timely. He assured of his readiness to promote their advancement in the international arena.

The Secretary-General once again reiterated the support for the ongoing reforms in Uzbekistan within the framework of the Development Strategy, which are of great importance in improving the well-being of people and prosperity of the country.

António Guterres welcomed the concrete steps taken by Uzbekistan on expanding and deepening the regional cooperation, as well as the country’s assistance in reconstruction of Afghanistan.

The United Nations Secretary-General assured to undertake further efforts on promotion of the convention on the use of water resources of Amudarya and Syrdarya, drawing attention of the international community to the issue of mitigating the consequences of the ecological catastrophe in the Aral Sea area.

A thorough exchange of views on promising areas of cooperation took place at the meeting.