The swearing-in ceremony of newly appointed US Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Uzbekistan Jonathan Henick took place in Washington.

At the beginning of the event, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu commended his professional qualities, Dunyo reports.

He stressed that the ambassador, as a career diplomat, had extensive experience in public diplomacy, crisis management and conflict prevention. Referring to his profound knowledge of Central Asia from his time at Columbia University and subsequent appointment as Third Secretary at the US Embassy in Tashkent (1994-1996), Donald Lu expressed confidence that Jonathan Henick, given his experience and deep understanding strategic importance of Uzbekistan, will further deepen US-Uzbek relations.

In turn, Jonathan Henick, thanking for the high confidence placed in him, noted that "representing the United States in Uzbekistan was a great honor in the life of a diplomat." He recalled his first visit to Uzbekistan as a university student in the early 1990s and his first diplomatic service in Tashkent. The diplomat stressed that from the moment of his first visit he was convinced of the special hospitality, sincerity and kindness of the people of Uzbekistan.

He assured that he "would make every effort to fully develop the US-Uzbek strategic partnership, support the independence, sovereignty and security of Uzbekistan, as well as the further democratic and economic development of the country."

According to the Embassy of Uzbekistan in the United States, during the meeting held after the official ceremony, Javlon Vakhabov and Jonathan Henick discussed the current state and prospects for the development of Uzbek-US cooperation. They emphasized mutual readiness of the parties to expand a constructive political dialogue and underscored the presence of significant potential for the development of bilateral relations in the areas of trade, investment, agriculture, education, tourism and cultural and humanitarian cooperation.

Jonathan Henick succeeded Daniel Rosenblum as ambassador to Uzbekistan. Daniel Rosenblum headed the US diplomatic mission in Tashkent in 2019-2022 and has been confirmed by the US Senate as the new ambassador to Kazakhstan.

Until the arrival of the new ambassador, the duties of the US Chargé d'Affaires in Uzbekistan are performed by Deputy Head of the Diplomatic Mission Paul Politis.