A number of agreements have been signed following the meeting of the Uzbekistan-Tajikistan intergovernmental commission on trade-economic cooperation in Dushanbe.

On December 28, Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister, Abdulaziz Kamilov received the newly appointed Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey, Ahmet Başar Şen, who presented a copy of credentials to Minister Kamilov, the press service of the Uzbek Foreign Ministry said.

Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) on 27 December 2016 signed a Record of Discussions with the Academy of Public Administration (APA) under the President of Uzbekistan for the implementation of KOICA’s project entitled “Academy of Public Administration Capacity Building Project for Public Sector Innovation in Uzbekistan”.

Following this year’s cotton harvest season (from September 19 to October 31), administrative action  has been taken against 3 school principals, 2 directors of professional colleges, 2 managers of farms and 1 head of polyclinics for forcing employees and children under 18 to pick cotton. The total fine amount is 4.7 million soums, the Labour Ministry said.

On December 27, Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov received the delegation of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan including the Senior Adviser to the President on Economic Affairs, Humayun Kayumi and the President’s Special Representative for development of cooperation with Central Asia and Russia, Muhammad Shakir Korgar, who arrived in our country on a visit.

Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon on Tuesday received the Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister, Rustam Azimov, who arrived in Dushanbe to attend the meeting of the Intergovernmental Trade and Economic Cooperation Commission, the Tajikistan's Presidency website said.

The Uzbekistan Labor Ministry hosted a meeting with the Working group of UNDAF, a Strategic Framework Program with the Government of Uzbekistan and UN system for social protection.

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Dec 26 signed a law "On social services for the elderly, disabled and other socially vulnerable categories of people." The document, adopted by the Legislative Chamber on 6 October and approved by the Senate on October 12, comes into force on 27 December.

In Uzbekistan punishment for motor vehicles (MV) theft will be toughened from 27 December. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Dec 26 signed amendment to the Criminal Code. Amendment Law was passed by the Legislative Chamber on 6 October and was approved by the Senate on October 12.

Official presentation of the updated website, virtual reception and hot line of the Oliy Majlis Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) was held in the Ombudsman’s office.

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part at the Dec 25 extraordinary session of Navoi region deputies council, the press service of the Head of State said.

The French Development Agency (AFD) and Uzbek Finance Ministry signed a 23.5 million euro loan agreement for funding a project on modernization of the solid waste management in Samarkand, a statement of the Embassy of France in Uzbekistan said.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in the Dec 23 extraordinary session of the Jizzakh region deputies council. In his speech, the President criticized the region’s previous leadership for the accumulated problems.

On December 24 in Samarkand were held the talks between the Presidents of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoev and Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev, the press service of the Presidency of Uzbekistan said.

The Kyrgyzstan President Almazbek Atambayev arrived today in Samarkand on a working visit. According to the press-service of the Presidency of Kyrgyzstan, he will lay a wreath at the tomb of the first President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov.

On December 20-23 Beijing hosted the regular meeting of the Council of National Coordinators of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

On December 23 was held the extraordinary session of Samarkand region deputies council, in which the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev made a statement, the Presidency website said.

Ergash Shoismatov has been appointed as Chairman of the Board of UzTransGaz, which is part of UzbekNefteGaz holding, a statement of the company press service said.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on December 23 received the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Yerlan Idrisov, who arrived in the country on a working visit.

President Mirziyoyev on 21 December signed a Decree "On opening of consulates of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan in Samarkand, Bukhara, Urgench, and Nukus and further improvement of services by the consulate in Termez",  the press service of the Tourism Development Committee (former UzbekTourism) said.