Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan has nominated its candidacy for election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2035–2036, head of the Presidential Administration Saida Mirziyoyeva said during the general debate of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
The statement was made as part of a broader address on reforming the United Nations. Mirziyoyeva stressed the need to improve the UN’s effectiveness and its ability not only to adopt decisions but also to ensure their implementation. She said the voice of every state should be taken into account in the organization’s work.
Tashkent also supports expanding the Security Council to reflect modern international realities. In addition, Uzbekistan will chair the Non-Aligned Movement in 2027. Mirziyoyeva said the country intends to use its chairmanship to develop additional mechanisms for international dialogue.
Speaking about Uzbekistan’s priorities, she stressed that the country is focusing on openness, good-neighborly relations and engagement with the international community. She identified human dignity as the central principle guiding these approaches.
A separate part of the address focused on Central Asia. Mirziyoyeva said that in recent years the countries of the region had managed to move from long-standing disputes, including over borders and water resources, toward closer partnership.
She also addressed the situation in Afghanistan. In her view, treating the country solely as a source of threats does not make it possible to find solutions to existing problems. The Afghan people, Mirziyoyeva said, need conditions to return to peaceful life.
She illustrated the results of domestic reforms with economic and social indicators. Over the past 10 years, Uzbekistan’s economy increased from US$50 billion to US$147 billion, while the volume of attracted foreign investment exceeded US$150 billion and exports nearly tripled. The poverty rate declined to 4%.
The address also noted expanded access to preschool and higher education, as well as an increase in average life expectancy.
Environmental problems in the Aral Sea region were another topic of the address. Mirziyoyeva linked the drying up of the Aral Sea to decades of misguided decisions and spoke about Uzbekistan’s efforts to green the dried seabed and introduce water-saving technologies.
Uzbekistan also aims to increase the share of renewable energy sources to 54% by 2030. According to Mirziyoyeva, the Aral Sea region could become not only an example of a large-scale environmental problem but also an area for implementing and testing new environmental solutions.
Artificial intelligence also featured prominently in the address. Mirziyoyeva stressed that technological change should be people-centered. The development of AI, she said, should be accompanied by protection of human rights, ensuring security, equal access to opportunities and responsible use of technology.
Uzbekistan intends to continue international cooperation on developing approaches to artificial intelligence and its application in the interests of society.
