Author: Farrukh Khakimov – 25/09/2025
Uzbekistan’s Cooperation with the UN and Advancing the 2030 Agenda
Farrukh Khakimov, Head of Department – Development Strategy Center, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan’s cooperation with the United Nations (UN) and its specialized agencies has assumed growing strategic importance in recent years. This partnership reflects the country’s long-term vision of engaging constructively in multilateral diplomacy while addressing pressing issues of global and regional development. Under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Uzbekistan has become an active contributor to the UN system, linking its domestic reform agenda with international commitments, most notably the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The 80th anniversary session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) provided a new platform for Tashkent to showcase this role. President Mirziyoyev’s participation reaffirmed Uzbekistan’s commitment to irreversible democratic reforms, the implementation of the “Uzbekistan–2030” Strategy, and the advancement of peace, stability, and sustainable development.
Expanding Cooperation with the UN and Its Agencies
Uzbekistan’s engagement with the UN has reached unprecedented levels. Today, more than 160 programs and projects are being implemented in cooperation with UN institutions, and a new five-year cooperation program is set to be signed. Since 2017, Uzbekistan has put forward numerous initiatives, of which 13 have been adopted as UNGA resolutions with broad international support.
Key resolutions include: “Strengthening Regional and International Cooperation for Peace, Stability and Sustainable Development in Central Asia” (2018); “The Aral Sea Region as a Zone of Environmental Innovation and Technology” (2021); “The Role of Parliaments in Achieving the SDGs” (2022); “Central Asia in the Face of Environmental Challenges: Strengthening Regional Solidarity for Sustainable Development and Prosperity” (2023); “Sustainable Forestry and Reforestation” (2024); and “UN Decade on Afforestation and Reforestation” (2025) etc. Collectively, these resolutions have addressed critical issues ranging from regional cooperation and environmental protection to sustainable tourism and human development. Based on Uzbekistan’s initiative, the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund for Human Security in the Aral Sea Region was also established.
This active role has been recognized through Uzbekistan’s election to key UN bodies, including the UN Human Rights Council, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Human Rights Committee, and the Statistical Commission. Furthermore, Uzbekistan’s reputation as a convening hub will be highlighted when Samarkand hosts the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference in November 2025.
These developments underscore not only Uzbekistan’s rising diplomatic profile but also its growing capacity to shape regional and global agendas in partnership with the UN system.
The “Uzbekistan–2030” Strategy and the SDGs
The “Uzbekistan–2030” Strategy serves as a national roadmap that is closely aligned with the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It introduces a fundamentally new mechanism for achieving the SDGs, tailored to national circumstances, and focuses on comprehensive reforms across political, economic, and social domains.
The results of these reforms are already tangible. Uzbekistan’s economy has expanded rapidly, with GDP doubling over the past eight years to reach $115 billion, supported by an average annual growth rate exceeding six percent. Poverty reduction has been another striking achievement: the national poverty rate declined from 35.9 percent in 2015 to just 6.6 percent in 2025. The transition to a green economy has also accelerated, with renewable energy now accounting for 30 percent of electricity generation, a share projected to rise to 54 percent by 2030 through $35 billion in investment.
Human capital development has been prioritized as well. Preschool coverage expanded from 27 to 78 percent, while higher education enrollment grew from 9 to 42 percent, with women now comprising over half of all university students. Healthcare spending has nearly tripled since 2018, contributing to an increase in average life expectancy from 73.8 to 75.1 years in 2025.
According to the 2025 Sustainable Development Report published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Uzbekistan ranked 62nd globally with a score of 73, having achieved or made progress on approximately 45 percent of the SDGs. Compared to 2024, the country rose by 19 positions, making it the fastest-growing country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe since 2015. These outcomes demonstrate the strong link between Uzbekistan’s domestic reforms and the global SDG framework. They also highlight Tashkent’s ambition to join the group of upper-middle-income countries by 2030.
President Mirziyoyev at the Sessions of the UNGA
Since his first address to the 72nd session of the UNGA in 2017, President Mirziyoyev has consistently used the global platform to advance initiatives of both regional and global significance. His landmark address at the 75th session in 2020, delivered in Uzbek for the first time in the Assembly’s history, signaled Uzbekistan’s intent to project its voice more assertively in international diplomacy. At the 78th session, President Mirziyoyev emphasized the alignment of the “Uzbekistan–2030” Strategy with the SDGs, highlighting resilience in the face of global challenges.
On 23 September 2025, at the 80th anniversary session of the UNGA, President Mirziyoyev presented a comprehensive vision for Uzbekistan’s role in advancing global cooperation. His proposals spanned education, gender equality, green development, climate change, and connectivity issues that central to both the SDGs and regional stability.
Among the most notable initiatives was the proposal to host a World Summit on Professional Education in Uzbekistan, designed to create a global platform for teachers to exchange knowledge and experience. He also called for transforming the Asian Women’s Forum into a permanent international platform. Addressing the vulnerabilities of landlocked states, President Mirziyoyev proposed establishing a Global Mechanism on Strengthening Transport Connectivity to Achieve the SDGs to secure international transit corridors.
The President further called for a Global Pact on Climate Migration to ensure coordinated international responses to this growing challenge. In partnership with UNIDO, he suggested creating a Regional Hub for Green Technologies in industry, while also urging the adoption of regional programs on rational water use, environmental sustainability, and demographic stability.
Taken together, these initiatives underscored Uzbekistan’s determination to contribute constructively to global governance while linking domestic reforms with broader international priorities. They also showcased the country’s role as a bridge-builder in Central Asia, connecting regional challenges with global solutions.
Broader Implications for Regional and Global Stability
Uzbekistan’s UN diplomacy reflects more than national interest; it represents a model for how Central Asian states can contribute meaningfully to global governance. By advancing initiatives on education, climate resilience, gender equality, connectivity, and regional cooperation, Uzbekistan is shaping an agenda that reinforces multilateralism, supports inclusive development, and promotes regional stability. It aspires to position Central Asia as a region of peace, good neighborliness, and partnership, transforming it from a geopolitical periphery into a recognized and independent actor in building global stability and prosperity.
Overall, Uzbekistan’s cooperation with the UN has entered a new era of intensity and impact. President Mirziyoyev’s participation and initiatives at the 80th session of the UNGA reflected both the continuity of his reform-driven vision and the expansion of Uzbekistan’s international responsibilities.
By linking domestic progress with global priorities, Uzbekistan has shown how national reforms can drive regional cooperation and contribute to global stability. The successful implementation of the President’s initiatives will not only accelerate the achievement of the SDGs within Uzbekistan but also strengthen a more interconnected, resilient, and sustainable international system.