Uzbekistan will update its Foreign Policy Concept, the President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said in his address at a meeting devoted to Uzbekistan's foreign policies:

“Geopolitical transformations in the world, instability in the international system, regional confrontations, and global economic transformations require each nation to constantly review its foreign policies and adapt it to national interests and the demands of the times.”

“As a result of an open, pragmatic, and balanced foreign policy in recent years, Uzbekistan's position and international authority continue to strengthen.

“Meanwhile, changes in the global security architecture, new economic alliances and trade routes, and the transformation of technologies and energy markets require a more proactive, targeted, and results-oriented approach to foreign policy”.

In this regard, Uzbekistan's Foreign Policy Concept needs to be updated, its priority areas need to be reviewed, and objectives aimed at protecting national interests and strengthening the country's position on the international stage need to be clearly defined.

"The new concept must comprehensively reflect the country's long-term strategic goals, the logic of domestic reforms, as well as our national interests in the areas of economic diplomacy, security, investment, exports, transport and logistics, water, and climate issues".

"Under these circumstances, life itself demands a critical review of our foreign policy activities and a new organization of the work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and foreign diplomatic missions".

“The year 2025 was overall a productive one in foreign policy. Specifically, high-level visits to 26 foreign countries were made during the year. The leaders of Bulgaria, Finland, Slovakia, Serbia, Jordan, and Paraguay visited Uzbekistan for the first time.”

“Multilateral dialogues in the Central Asia Plus format have proven fruitful. In recent years, strategic partnerships have been established with 11 countries, bringing the total number to 19. Allied relations have been established with Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Tajikistan.”

"As a result of our open, pragmatic, thoughtful, and proactive foreign policy, Uzbekistan is gradually becoming one of the global centers of peace and diplomacy".

“16 new diplomatic and consular missions have opened abroad since 2017. Currently, their total number has reached 60, and diplomatic relations have been established with 165 countries.”

“Staff numbers at foreign missions and the salaries of employees of embassies, consular offices, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have been raised. While, the effectiveness of their work raises many question.”

"However, do all our diplomatic missions understand this correctly and make full use of their existing capabilities? Diplomatic activity has only one criterion for evaluation—results!".

“In the current environment, an ambassador is more than just someone who conducts political dialogue. An ambassador is a representative of the state who is supposed to attract investment and technologies, to open new export markets, launches transport and logistics corridors, increases tourist flow, creates conditions for legal labor migration, and, most importantly, protects the rights of our fellow countrymen".

“Key performance indicators (KPIs) will now be established for ambassadors, including export revenue from the host country, increased tourism, and the placement of Uzbek fellow countrymen in legal employment.”

“Exports and investment need to be increased through strengthening economic diplomacy, noting that economic security is the foundation of state security.”

“As part of bilateral and multilateral events in 2025, agreements on investment projects and trade contracts totaling $160 billion were signed. For the first time in history, foreign trade turnover exceeded $80 billion, exports reached $33.5 billion, and foreign investment exceeded $43 billion.”

“Reports of violations of the rights of our fellow countrymen during various raids conducted in foreign countries are causing serious public discontent”.

“Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs limits itself to sending official notes.

"Ambassadors and consuls are obliged to provide quality legal assistance in every case and protect the rights and interests of our fellow countrymen abroad".

“Furthermore, the president emphasized that the involvement of Uzbek youth or students abroad in various extremist movements should be a matter of grave concern to everyone.

“Ambassadors must give up office diplomacy and visit construction sites, dormitories, and classrooms where fellow countrymen work and study abroad, study their problems, and work to address them.”

“Toll-free call center must be set up for Uzbeks who find themselves in difficult situations abroad, and to organize the prompt consideration of their requests in collaboration with relevant ministries.”

“Facilitating the employment of Uzbek nationals abroad in high-paying jobs is our priority. In previous years, our fellow countrymen primarily worked in two or three countries, today, through organized labor migration, they are hired in more than 30 countries.”

“For example, companies from Germany, Japan, and South Korea, responding to their labor needs, have organized training courses in Uzbekistan to train labour.”

“In particular, one Japanese company has launched a project to hire 10,000 Uzbek specialists in the fields of construction, driving, and hotel and restaurant services. Seasonal workers are being sent to the UK.”

“Ambassadors in a number of countries are not showing sufficient initiative to implement similar mechanisms. In particular, the work of embassies in Austria, France, Spain, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Saudi Arabia, which actively recruit foreign labor, was deemed unsatisfactory.”

“Sweden, Denmark, and Norway currently have a need for approximately 300,000 workers. Norwegian employers have expressed their willingness to independently train 3,000 Uzbek nationals and issue them certificates in accordance with European standards this year.”

“Officials have been given directives to reach agreements with Sweden, Denmark, and Norway to direct Uzbek citizens to high-paying jobs.

“Furthermore, in conjunction with the Uzbek ambassadors to Sweden and Latvia, they have been tasked with developing a cooperation program with Nordic countries in the area of ​​external labor migration.”

“Last year the US government simplified the process of obtaining special visas for agricultural workers. The Uzbek Ambassador to the United States has been instructed to negotiate the country's inclusion on the list of countries whose citizens may be recruited to the United States as seasonal workers.”

“From now on, each provincial governor must establish direct contacts with regions in developed countries that host foreign labor.

“Each ambassador shall be responsible not only for finding jobs abroad but also for facilitating training for citizens in in-demand professions and foreign languages.”

“In this regard, it is planned to sign intergovernmental and interdepartmental agreements on labor migration with Japan, Sweden, Norway, Bulgaria, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Greece, and Oman.”

“Given the current geopolitical situation, the cost of shipping freight to Europe has doubled, negatively impacting the competitiveness of Uzbek producers.”

“Poland is considered one of the key gateways to European markets. In this regard, the Uzbek Ambassador to Poland has been given directives to prepare proposals to reduce logistics costs for deliveries to European countries.”

“Officials will negotiate with Polish partners to explore the possibility of opening a separate corridor for Uzbek freight carriers at the Brest border crossing (on the Polish-Belarusian border).”

“It is crucial to set up a trading house in Constanta and to double the Uzbek goods exports to Romania in 2026.”