10-07-202646
On 2 March 1992, Uzbekistan became a member of the United Nations, thereby consolidating its sovereign and equal status in the system of international relations as an independent state. This date signified for our country not only legal recognition of its statehood, but the strategic choice of a new path of development made by its people.
Today, this date is inextricably linked to the foreign policy philosophy of New Uzbekistan. If the 1992 membership signified international legal recognition, it now embodies the status of a state that exerts influence on global processes, advances initiatives, and shapes decision-making.
The principal tenets of New Uzbekistan's foreign policy are openness, constructiveness, pragmatism, and mutually beneficial cooperation. This approach is consonant with the principles of sovereign equality, peaceful coexistence, and international cooperation enshrined in the UN Charter.
Within a short period, our country has established effective cooperation with leading institutions of the UN system. The UN Development Programme is participating in the processes of modernising governance and advancing digitalisation. UNICEF is a key partner in developing children's rights and inclusive education. Cooperation with UNESCO serves the cause of gaining international recognition for our national cultural heritage. Programmes implemented jointly with the World Health Organisation are bringing the healthcare system closer to international standards. This collaboration demonstrates that the reforms of New Uzbekistan enjoy support at the international level.
One of the most significant achievements of New Uzbekistan's foreign policy is the formation of a new political climate in Central Asia. On the basis of the initiative put forward by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the UN General Assembly in 2017, a resolution on strengthening peace and stability in Central Asia was adopted in 2018. This document created a legal foundation for building trust among the states of the region. Border issues were resolved step by step, trade turnover increased, and transport and logistics links were revitalised. Central Asia today is spoken of not as a 'problematic region', but as a 'space of cooperation and trust', a model of constructive partnership. This is a tangible result of New Uzbekistan's diplomacy.
In 2021, the UN General Assembly, on the initiative of Uzbekistan's leadership, adopted a resolution declaring the Aral Sea region a zone of ecological innovations and technologies. This decision served to recognise the regional ecological crisis at the global level and to consolidate international efforts. A dedicated financial mechanism for the Aral Sea region was launched under the UN Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund. A number of projects are being implemented with the participation of international financial institutions and donor organisations. Modern technologies for combating desertification, creating green zones, and efficient water resource management are being introduced, alongside elements of a 'green' economy and projects aimed at ensuring employment for the population. The planting of saxaul and other drought-resistant plants on Aral Sea lands serves not only ecological sustainability but also the improvement of public health and social conditions. This demonstrates New Uzbekistan's active stance on ecological justice and climate resilience, with the country's policy as an ecologically responsible state receiving international support.
New Uzbekistan regards youth as a strategic resource. On Uzbekistan's initiative, resolutions dedicated to youth rights, enlightenment, and religious tolerance were also adopted within the framework of the United Nations. These documents are aimed at supporting youth on a global scale, enhancing their socio-political engagement, and advancing an educational approach to countering extremism. The expansion of educational opportunities for young people in the country, the opening of new universities, and the introduction of international educational programmes are the practical realisation of these initiatives. New Uzbekistan has set the goal of achieving sustainable development through investment in human capital.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals have been integrated into national development programmes. Proposals put forward regarding the increase of the share of renewable energy sources, rational water resource management, and adaptation to climate change are receiving support on the international stage. In recent years, the construction of solar and wind power stations has accelerated in the country, a strategy for increasing the share of the 'green' economy has been adopted, and renewable energy projects are being implemented. These initiatives are becoming an integral part of global climate policy, reinforcing the country's reputation as an ecologically responsible state and demonstrating that New Uzbekistan is advancing along the path of innovative and sustainable development.
2 March is a turning point in the history of Uzbekistan's foreign policy and the development of national statehood. If Uzbekistan's accession to the United Nations on 2 March 1992 meant international legal recognition, a guarantee of sovereignty, and integration into the system of global institutions, today that membership has acquired an entirely new dimension. Uzbekistan has become a state that not only addresses the UN General Assembly but also influences decision-making. The initiatives advanced by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev — strengthening a climate of trust in Central Asia, transforming the Aral Sea region into a zone of ecological innovations, and elevating the idea of youth rights and enlightenment to the global level — have found expression in resolutions of the UN General Assembly. This is not a diplomatic declaration, but a practical political outcome.
The new political climate in Central Asia, agreements on border issues, and the expansion of economic ties are the fruits of an international legal foundation oriented towards regional stability. The resolution adopted on the Aral Sea ensured the global recognition of the ecological crisis and activated international financial mechanisms. The documents adopted on youth and enlightenment elevated the educational approach to countering extremism to the level of international policy. The UN platform has become an arena for New Uzbekistan to defend national interests, ensure regional stability, and advance universal human values. 2 March is not merely a historical date. It is a symbol of Uzbekistan's confident stride in global politics, an embodiment of the reputation of a state that thinks strategically and is cognisant of its international responsibilities. As New Uzbekistan consistently continues its policy based on equal and mutually beneficial cooperation with the international community, the initiatives advanced from the UN platform will undoubtedly expand further, and national ideas will be transformed into global decisions.
Jahongir Isaev
Head of Department, Centre for Sustainable Development