On November 17 this year, the newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan Jonathan Henick held his first press conference in Tashkent.

The Ambassador noted that the media play a fundamental role in any democracy.

The Ambassador carried out his first diplomatic mission in Uzbekistan in 1994-1996. He noted that since that time Uzbekistan has changed a lot. The development and growth of the country are extraordinary, and he was very pleased to see how much Uzbekistan and the relations between the two countries have changed.

The Ambassador answered the questions of the journalists and bloggers, noting that his highest goal is to contribute to the economic development and prosperity of Uzbekistan.

Ambassador Jonathan Henick noted that over the past few years, the Government of Uzbekistan has done a great job in eradicating child and forced labor. Conditions have been created that will lead to an increase in investment in the country. “We need to do more to make Uzbekistan, famous for its hospitality, attractive not only for travelers, but also for investors”, he said.

“Uzbekistan is currently a candidate for membership in the World Trade Organization, which will certainly help accelerate the growth of trade and investment”, Jonathan Henick noted.

The Ambassador listed the obstacles to foreign investment in Uzbekistan, including the rule of law, corruption, insufficient protection of intellectual property, low participation of the private sector, high tariffs.

He also described the position of the United States regarding such organizations as the SCO and the OTS. The Ambassador stressed that the United States respects the right of all countries of the world to create partnerships and is not going to become a member of the SCO.

Jonathan Henick, a member of the Senior Foreign Service, was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan on October 14. Most recently, he served as the Consul General in Istanbul, Türkiye. Originally from New York, he speaks Russian, Portuguese, Turkish, and Azerbaijani.

G.Abdullaeva, photos by N.Khaydarov, UzA