Uzbekistan Delegation Meets with Top UN Officials

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — On the sidelines of UN Counter-Terrorism Week, a delegation of the Republic of Uzbekistan led by B. Tursunov, the First Deputy Chairman of the State Security Service, met with Alexandre Zouev, the Assistant Secretary-General and Acting Head of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), on 29 June 2026.

The sides highly appreciated the dynamics of cooperation and the successful implementation of joint programs, which include professional development for law enforcement officers, countering the use of new technologies by terrorists, and preventing the financing of terrorism.

The participants paid special attention to prospects for establishing the International Center of Competence for the Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Persons Returned from Conflict Zones. This initiative was put forward by President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the 80th anniversary session of the UN General Assembly in September 2025.

It was noted that this structure, drawing upon the successful experience of Central Asia, could become a global knowledge platform for developing flexible rehabilitation strategies. The Center is expected to focus on training and upgrading the skills of relevant specialists, creating educational and vocational pathways for returnees, and implementing measures to prevent and preempt extremism.

During the meeting, a new roadmap for interaction between Uzbekistan and the UN Counter-Terrorism Office for 2026-2027 was signed. This document marks the transition to a new stage of strategic partnership and will provide Uzbekistan with extensive expert and technical support in the fight against terrorism.

In New York, the Uzbek delegation also held talks with Natalia Gherman, the Executive Director of the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), to discuss joint security initiatives.

In particular, the sides reviewed prospects for the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies (ISRS) under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan to join the CTED Global Research Network. It was emphasized that this would provide full access to the research of leading global think tanks in the field of combating terrorism.

Following the meetings, the parties emphasized the importance of further close interaction in countering the terrorist threat.

For reference: UN Counter-Terrorism Week is one of the most authoritative international platforms bringing together member states, entities of the UN system, international and regional organizations, and the expert community to discuss contemporary challenges and develop practical measures to implement the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. This year, it takes place from 26 June to 2. июля.