BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 10. Uzbekistan and the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have signed a
joint work plan for 2026 aimed at strengthening cooperation on
refugee protection, asylum issues, and the rights of stateless
persons.
This was reflected in a statement by the National Center for
Human Rights of Uzbekistan.
The agreement was signed following a meeting on June 9 between
Akmal Saidov, Director of the National Center for Human Rights of
Uzbekistan, and Mahir Safarli, UNHCR Regional Representative for
Central Asia.
Balzhan Oshakbayeva, a UNHCR legal protection specialist for
Central Asia, also participated in the discussions.
The meeting focused on the current state and prospects of
cooperation in protecting the rights of refugees, asylum seekers,
and stateless individuals, as well as on strengthening
institutional collaboration between the National Center for Human
Rights and UNHCR.
The newly signed Joint Work Plan for 2026 outlines key areas of
cooperation for the coming year, including efforts to improve
national legislation and law-enforcement practices, raise public
awareness, strengthen institutional capacity, and promote
international standards related to the protection of vulnerable
populations.
The document is expected to serve as a framework for joint
initiatives aimed at enhancing legal protections and supporting
Uzbekistan’s continued alignment with international human rights
and refugee protection standards.
The sides expressed their commitment to further developing
constructive cooperation and ensuring the effective implementation
of the agreed initiatives.
