Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The official inauguration of the new Institute for Advanced International Studies took place yesterday at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy (UWED), Dunyo news agency reported.

It was attended by the heads of the Senate and the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, the ministries of foreign affairs, investments, industry and trade, other ministries and departments of the country, heads of diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited in Uzbekistan, representatives of leading public and private companies, national media, professors and lecturers, UWED.

Opening the event, UWED First Vice-Rector Durbek Amanov noted that the initiative of the leadership of Uzbekistan to open such an institute is aimed at transforming UWED into one of the country’s main institutions in the field of international and regional research based on best practices, leading world research centers.

First Deputy Foreign Minister Furkat Sidikov stressed that for the first time in our country an academic international and interdisciplinary research institute is being formed, which will become part of a global network along with other world professional research centers and international research institutes.

During the event, memorandums of partnership and understanding were signed with such foreign organizations as the representative office of the Ebert Foundation (Germany), the Sussex University School of Global Studies (UK) and the Rasanah Center (Saudi Arabia). An agreement was reached with the Center for Market and Management Studies of the University of Pittsburgh (USA) on establishing cooperation and identifying joint research areas.

The main activities of the Institute are the interdisciplinary study of topical issues of international relations, the world economy, international law, regional studies and country studies, the preparation of information and analytical documents, forecasts and recommendations on topical issues of modern world politics and economics.

Ambassador of Japan to Uzbekistan Hatori Takashi noted that he participated with great interest in the opening of the new Institute for Advanced International Studies in Uzbekistan.

- I was interested to learn about the main activities of this center, what areas and aspects for research will be carried out in it, - the ambassador said. - For us diplomats, I believe this is important and useful, because, thereby, new horizons are opening up for the development of cooperation in the field of research.

  I would like to note that we also have a similar significant center, which was created under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

Currently, Uzbekistan is considered a key country in Central Asia and is of great importance to Japan. Studying a number of regional aspects, including taking into account the fact that Uzbekistan borders on Afghanistan and studying Central Asia as a whole in our country, of course, we will track the research that will be carried out at this institute.