Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 10 December, a high-level briefing was organized at the UN headquarters in New York, dedicated to the activities of the Regional Expert Council on the rehabilitation and reintegration of individuals returned from conflict zones.

Interview with the Deputy Permanent Representative of the United States to the UN, David Johnson:

"I have carefully reviewed the presentations on how targeted efforts are bringing together civil society and government in the reintegration of people returned from conflict zones.

The information presented about Uzbekistan's experience in returning these individuals home and reintegrating them into Uzbek society is impressive. It is particularly important that Uzbekistan is undertaking this work, especially in relation to children and women, many of whom had no involvement in being in conflict zones and required repatriation.

The most important thing is that Uzbekistan continues its efforts in this direction. Therefore, the United States is ready to support Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries in their activities related to the repatriation and reintegration of their citizens."

For reference: The event was organized by ISMI and the Permanent Mission of Uzbekistan to the UN, with the assistance of the UN Counter-Terrorism Office and the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia.

Speakers at the briefing included UN Deputy Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov, Head of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia Kaha Imnadze, UN Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiyari, Director of the UN Counter-Terrorism Office Mauro Miedico, former UN Special Rapporteur on Terrorism Professor Fionnuala Ni Aolain from the University of Minnesota (USA), UN Permanent Observer of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Leticia Curtois, and heads of diplomatic missions from Central Asian countries.