Professor at Tashkent State University of Law,

Doctor of Juridical Science

Seven years ago, Uzbekistan embarked on a new stage of development. During this period, a large number of cardinal reforms have been carried out in all spheres of the socio-political and economic life of the society.

Meanwhile, the most important areas included democratic reforms aimed at ensuring a wide range of human rights and freedoms, liberalisation of public and political life, and freedom of the media, as reflected in the new version of the Constitution. These reforms have also enabled the national electoral legislation to be updated, which facilitates the holding of elections at a new level.

As is well known, the main stages of the electoral process are regulated by legal acts: appointment of elections, formation of the organizational and technical basis, nomination and registration of candidates, campaigning, voting, determination of the results and their legitimation.

The Right to Nominate a Candidate: How It Is Exercised

According to Article 37 of the Election Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan, political parties shall have the right to nominate a presidential candidate. 

In accordance with Article 62, a political party has the right to nominate candidates upon registration by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan no later than four months before the date of the announcement of the election campaign.

At present, there are five active political parties officially registered in Uzbekistan: the People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, the Adolat Social Democratic Party, the Milliy Tiklanish Democratic Party, the Liberal Democratic Party and the Ecological Party of Uzbekistan. 

The Election Code specifies the list of documents that political parties must submit in order to run for the Presidency of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Hence, a political party must submit the following documents to the Central Election Commission in order to stand for election pursuant to Article 63:

• an application for participation in the election signed by the leader of the party;
• a certificate from the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan containing information on the registration of the political party;
• information on a potential candidate for the post of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

On the basis of the submitted documents, the CEC makes a final decision on the party’s admission to the elections within five days and issues a certificate of registration and standard forms of the signature lists to the authorized representative of the political party. The list of parties participating in the elections is published in the central press in the order of receipt of applications.

The nomination of candidates for the presidency of the Republic of Uzbekistan shall be made by the supreme bodies of political parties.

A political party shall be entitled to nominate a presidential candidate only from among its members or from a non-party person. A protocol shall be drawn up for the nomination of a candidate for the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The leader of a political party submits an application for registration of a presidential candidate to the Central Election Commission, together with the relevant documents (Article 64 of the Election Code).

The CEC provides political parties with standard forms of signature lists for presidential elections.

Registration of Signature Lists

According to Article 34 of the Election Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan, a political party that nominates a presidential candidate, shall have the right to appoint an authorized representative to participate in the meetings of election commission, submit documents, check the accuracy of signature lists, and count votes.

Standard forms of signature lists shall be issued by the CEC after the announcement of the start of election campaign. According to Article 38 of the Code, voters shall have the right to put signature on a signature lists in support of one or more political parties.

The CEC’s placement of political party logos on the signature sheets serves to better inform voters about political parties. This helps to ensure that voters have an accurate idea of which party they are supporting and which political party collected the signatures.

The collection of signatures of voters shall be carried out at the place of work, service, study, residence, at election events, as well as in other places where campaigning and collecting signatures are not prohibited by law. Any form of coercion and bribery of voters by the person collecting signatures shall entail liability established by law.

A signature list shall be signed by the person who collected signatures, indicating his surname, first name, and patronymic, and certified by the head of the district or city structure of the respective political party and the seal.

Voters may sign in support of one or more political parties or candidates. These data shall be entered in handwritten form.

The accuracy of signature lists submitted by political parties shall be checked by the CEC within five days. At least 15 % of the required number of voter signatures and relevant information about the voters who have put signatures on the signature sheets are subject to verification.

The CEC may establish an expert group to verify the correctness of signature lists. It is composed of experts of internal affairs bodies, justice, and representatives of civil society institutions. They check that the forms have been filled in correctly, that corrections have been made, who filled them in and whether there are identical signatures. Authorized representatives of political parties shall also take part in the verification process.

If a visual inspection reveals a violation of the law, these signature sheets are returned to the authorized representative of the political party, and they are given two days to fill in the gaps.

Based on the results of the inspection, the expert group draws up a conclusion for each political party. This is the basis for the CEC’s decision to grant or deny a political party the right to participate in elections.

In general, the process of filling in the signature sheets by the political parties is important to increase the social activity of the electoral corps.

The post Uzbekistan’s Presidential Elections: an Important Stage in the Election Campaign appeared first on Policy Print.

Deputy Director

International Institute for Central Asia

A national referendum on the law on the new Constitution will be held in Uzbekistan on April 30, 2023. The updated Basic Law is intended to consolidate the country’s strategic course for further reform of society and the state, which has had a positive impact on its foreign policy, primarily in the Central Asian region.

In this regard, it is obvious that the referendum will be the most important political event in the life of the citizens of Uzbekistan this year. This is evidenced, first of all, by the most active participation of society in the process of drafting a new Constitution.

The Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan recognized that it was initially envisaged to change 30% of the text of the Basic Law, but more than 220 thousand proposals were received, which is why the amendments now concern 65%. It is no coincidence that Uzbek expert and public circles already call the updated Constitution “people’s one”.

Reflection of the transformation of society and the state

In fact, the draft of the new Constitution reflects the serious changes that have taken place in Uzbekistan since the beginning of large-scale reforms announced by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the end of 2016. Then, for foreign experts, the political and economic opening of Uzbekistan came as a surprise. Most observers expected a few symbolic innovations, but mostly continuity. However, since Shavkat Mirziyoyev took office in 2016, Uzbekistan has undoubtedly been going through a phase of profound changes.

Serious amendments have been made to the draft new Constitution concerning human rights and freedoms, personal inviolability of citizens and their private life in criminal proceedings, conditions of detention, detention and detention. In the administration of justice, the use of evidence obtained in violation of the law is not allowed. Torture, violence, ill-treatment, and the death penalty are prohibited.

Unlike the current Basic Law, Uzbekistan is defined “as a legal, social, secular, democratic state.” Articles affecting the social rights of citizens in such important areas as education and healthcare have been significantly expanded. The rights of youth, children and women will be protected by the State. Special attention is paid to the protection of the rights and interests of citizens with disabilities, as well as socially vulnerable segments of the population.

For the first time, a separate chapter dedicated to civil society institutions is included, guarantees of their activities are established. Thus, special attention is paid to improving the norms concerning the strengthening of not only civil society institutions, but also the mass media. In this context, it should be emphasized that in December 2022, the number of foreign TV channels allowed to be distributed on the territory of Uzbekistan increased from 50 to 192. Among them are BBC, Sky News, CNN, CNBC, Fox News, Bloomberg and others.

In the part concerning the economic rights of citizens, a separate article in the draft Constitution prohibits forced labor, any form of child labor. In 2021, Uzbekistan eliminated forced and child labor from the production cycle in cotton growing.

According to the International Labor Organization, under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the country embarked on the path of reforms, including the modernization of the former agrarian economic model and the rejection of the widely used practice of using child and forced labor in cotton harvesting.

In Tashkent in March 2023, US Secretary of State E. Blinken called this fact a “historic achievement”. According to him, “this is a model for countries around the world facing similar problems.”… We look forward to working with the (Uzbek) government to advance similar efforts in other sectors.”

The updated Constitution of Uzbekistan significantly strengthens the role of Parliament.

Thus, it is proposed to increase the number of exclusive powers of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis from 5 to 12, the Senate – from 14 to 18. Part of the current powers of the president in the field of forming the system of executive and judicial power is transferred to parliament.

Thus, the renewal of the Constitution not only confirms the reformist course of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, but also defines clear guidelines for where Uzbekistan will move in its further development. There is still much to be done, the head of state himself has repeatedly noted, but reforms, renewal and modernization are irreversible.

According to the World Bank’s Regional Director for Central Asia, Tatiana Proskuryakova, “Uzbekistan remains committed to the most important reforms, despite the difficult situation around the world and in the region of Europe and Central Asia.” President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has launched a large-scale reform program, in which significant progress has been made, especially in the field of economic liberalization.

British experts were not mistaken when back in 2018 they noted that the economic modernization of Uzbekistan and its growing political openness could have huge consequences for economic growth and political stability throughout Central Asia. Uzbekistan is the most populous country in Central Asia and its geographical center. These features make him a natural and historical trendsetter of political and economic fashion in the region.

Modernization of Uzbekistan’s economy and increased political openness will be of great importance for economic growth and political stability in Central Asia. If successful, his reforms could also make Uzbekistan a positive model for other Muslim-majority countries.

New adjustments in the regional policy of Uzbekistan

In 2016, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev declared Central Asia the main priority of Uzbekistan’s foreign policy. The Preamble of the draft new Constitution notes “Uzbekistan’s desire to strengthen and develop friendly relations with the world community, primarily with neighboring states, on the basis of cooperation, mutual support, peace and harmony.”

It is noteworthy that in June 2018, exactly five years ago, the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution “Strengthening regional and international cooperation to ensure peace, stability and sustainable development in the Central Asian region”. The initiative to adopt this document was put forward by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the international conference on Central Asia, held in November 2017 in the city of Samarkand.

As the President of Uzbekistan noted at the time: “Our main goal is to jointly transform Central Asia into a stable, economically developed and prosperous region.” The regional policy of Shavkat Mirziyoyev has become a new stage in the history of interstate relations of the Central Asian countries and marked the beginning of their consolidation.

For the first time since gaining their independence, the Central Asian States have confirmed their ability not only to take joint actions to solve common regional problems, but also to ensure the well-being and prosperity of their citizens.

Today, the countries of the region are consistently solving the difficult tasks of ensuring security and stability, sustainable socio-economic development of Central Asia. A lot of barriers have been eliminated in a short time, first of all, sensitive border problems. Сonditions have been created for the free movement of citizens, active cultural and tourist exchanges between the countries of the region.

For the first time in recent decades, joint industrial cooperation projects have been launched, new value chains are being created. Thus, investment banks of Uzbekistan with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have been established to finance promising projects in the fields of industry, the agricultural sector, energy, infrastructure, automotive and other areas.

Moreover, water energy, which was previously a “bone of contention”, has become the subject of partnership between the countries of Central Asia. So, in January 2023, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan signed a roadmap for the implementation of the Kambarata HPP-1 construction project.

A favorable environment has been formed in Central Asia, which contributes to the growth of mutual trade. Uzbekistan has started creating border trade and economic zones with almost all countries of the region. Thanks to this, intraregional trade has doubled over the past five years, and the total GDP of the countries of the region has increased by $75 billion. to over $358 billion (in 1991, this figure was about $46 billion.).

All these changes have a positive impact on the daily life of the peoples of the Central Asian countries, improving their well-being, contributing to strengthening stability in the region. It is obvious that the reforms in Uzbekistan and its new regional policy have contributed to a serious acceleration of the economic development of the Central Asian countries.

Moreover, consolidation has allowed the countries of the region to increase their role as subjects of the system of international relations, as well as the ability to take responsibility for regional security. The international community recognizes that only a stable, dynamically developing and prosperous Central Asia can become an attractive, constructive and long-term partner.

As US Secretary of State E. Blinken noted in Tashkent, a more interconnected, cooperative Central Asia will be able to better determine its own future and meet the needs of its people.

Over the past five years, there has been a serious transformation of Central Asia, which has gone from a region of tension and conflict to a zone of mutual trust, cooperation and partnership. The agenda of the leaders of the Central Asian states has changed, in which issues of implementing common projects of interconnectedness in the spheres of trade, economy, investment, cultural and humanitarian ties already prevail today.

In short, in recent years, the dynamic trends of Uzbekistan’s cooperation with neighboring states have acquired a qualitatively new, systemic and dynamic character. In a short period of time, Uzbekistan’s bilateral relations with the countries of the region have been elevated to the level of strategic partnership (Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan) and alliance (Kazakhstan, Tajikistan).

The mechanism of Consultative Meetings of the heads of Central Asian States initiated by Uzbekistan in 2017 has been successfully launched, contributing to the formation of common approaches and joint search for solutions to problems of regional security and sustainable development. An active, constructive political dialogue is becoming a key factor in strengthening mutual trust and the common responsibility of the Central Asian States for the present and future of the region.

A powerful impetus to the multifaceted regional partnership is given by cultural and humanitarian cooperation, in which various social groups of the population of Central Asian countries have been increasingly involved in recent years. Such dynamics, strengthening the perception of historical and civilizational community in the societies of the states of the region, creates conditions for strengthening regional identity.

The countries of the region are building balanced relations with the leading states within the framework of the dialogue format “Central Asia Plus”. This practice has acquired a steady, regular character, contributing to strengthening the image of Central Asia as a unified, consolidated and strategically important region in the system of international relations.

In general, the main result of the implementation of the new regional policy of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was not only the overcoming of previously seemingly unsolvable contradictions, but also the formation of a powerful foundation for further promotion of regional priorities in the field of security and sustainable development.

In this regard, the renewal of the Constitution, which defines the trajectory of Uzbekistan’s transformation into an open, democratic, dynamically developing stable state with a strong civil society, determines Tashkent’s more active regional policy in Central Asia. This trend meets the long-term interests not only of the Central Asian countries themselves, but also of the entire international community, which expresses its support for the processes taking place since 2016 in one of the strategically important regions of the world.

The post The Referendum in Uzbekistan: What Will Change in Regional Policy appeared first on Policy Print.

Center for Economic Research and Reforms under the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan

In recent years, the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan has been paying increased attention to the extraction, processing of non-ferrous metals and the production of high-value-added products from them. The non-ferrous metallurgy industry is considered as a potential driver of the economy.

Current status

As known, Uzbekistan has significant reserves of non-ferrous metals. Proven reserves of gold in Uzbekistan amount to 6.4 thousand tons, silver — 24.6 thousand tons, copper — 21.3 million tons. Significant reserves of non-ferrous metals create the potential to attract investment in the extraction, processing and increasing exports of non-ferrous metals and products from them. In this regard, one of the priorities of the economic policy of the Government of Uzbekistan has become the implementation of reforms in this sector.

It is indicative that over the past 6 years, the share of the physical volume of the metallurgical industry in the manufacturing industry has increased from 11% to 24%. For 11 months of 2022, the volume of production amounted to 97.8 trillion sums, which is 10 times more than in 2016.

The production of non-ferrous metals in the period January-November 2022 also showed an increase. In particular, the production of copper and its products at large enterprises increased by 3.3% compared to the same period in 2021 and reached 184 thousand tons, the production of zinc and its products increased by 1.3% to 83.6 thousand tons, and lead and its products decreased by 20% to 8.1 thousand tons.

The export of non-ferrous metals provides tangible foreign exchange earnings to the economy. In general, copper exports for 10 months of 2022 increased by 0.4% to $954 million, zinc by 30% to $ 213 million, lead decreased by 39% to $6.5 million, aluminum increased by 10% to $48.6 million. Also, gold exports for 11 months of 2022 decreased by 14.2% to $3.6 billion.

The reforms carried out to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) are bearing fruit. Thus, the volume of FDI in the mining industry in 2021 amounted to $1.2 billion, in 2022 it will amount to $1.3 billion, and in 2023 it is expected to reach $1.5 billion. Most of the investments are accounted for by the flagships of non-ferrous metallurgy in Uzbekistan – Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Combine (Almalyk MMC) (64%) and Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Combine (Navoi MMC) (28.5%).

Flagships of non-ferrous metallurgy

Almalyk MMC. Almalyk MMC was founded in 1949 and is 98.8% owned by the Government of Uzbekistan through the State Asset Management Agency. Almalyk MMC accounts for 9% of budget revenues, which makes the plant the second largest industrial enterprise in the country. The plant produces more than 100 types of goods, it employs 35 thousand employees. The plant has 3 open pits and 4 underground mines, as well as 5 processing enterprises and 2 metallurgical complexes.

The main activity of Almalyk MMC is the extraction and enrichment of sulfide, gold-bearing and polymetallic ores, followed by the production of refined copper, zinc metal, precious and rare metals, as well as secondary products and alloys based on them. The plant is the only producer of primary copper in the country.

The production capacity of Almalyk MMC in 2021 amounted to 148 thousand tons of copper cathode, 17 tons of gold and 196 tons of silver, and the company’s revenue for 2021 amounted to $2.9 billion. The volume of exports in 2022 amounted to $942.1 million (of which copper — $637.2 million, zinc — $210.7 million, lead — $26 million and other products — $68.2 million).

Navoi MMC. Navoi MMC was founded in 1958 and is 100% owned by the Government of Uzbekistan through the Ministry of Finance. Navoi MMC accounts for 18% of the country’s budget revenues, which makes the plant the largest industrial enterprise in the country, it employs 58 thousand employees. The main activity of the enterprise is the extraction and processing of gold, the production volume is about 80 tons of gold per year. The main resource base of the Navoi MMC is the Muruntau mine, which is considered the largest by area in the world.

In the first half of 2022, the total volume of gold sales of Navoi MMC increased by 7% compared to the same period of the previous year and amounted to 1.4 million ounces, which brought a profit of $2.6 billion. Profit for the year due to gold increased by 11%, where 4% were due to an increase in the selling price of gold, and the remaining 7% correspond to an increase in gold sales.

Using competitive advantages

Large reserves of non-ferrous metals create competitive advantages for the development of a number of industrial sectors, which gives impetus to the intensive technological development of the country.

In the era of transition to a “green” economy, environmentally friendly energy sources and products, the demand for non-ferrous metals, in particular, for copper and products made from it, is dynamically increasing. To date, global copper production is inferior to the growth in demand for it. According to analysts, by 2030, the demand for copper will grow by 45% and reach 38 thousand tons per year, which will be due to an increase in demand for electric vehicles and the development of infrastructure for the “green” industry. At the same time, production will remain below demand.

Naturally, Uzbekistan, in the presence of significant reserves of non-ferrous metals, seeks to take advantage of its comparative advantages. In order to accelerate the disclosure of the existing potential of the metallurgical industry in Uzbekistan, a number of resolutions and Strategies have been adopted in recent years to develop the production of non-ferrous metals and products made from them.

The trajectory of ongoing reforms

As part of the further expansion of the country’s potential and increasing competitiveness in the world market, the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. PP-4731 dated May 26, 2020 “On additional measures to expand the production of non-ferrous and precious metals based on the deposits of Almalyk MMC JSC” was adopted, which provides for the implementation of a strategy to increase the production of non-ferrous and precious metals.

In June 2021, the Presidential Decree PP-5159 “On additional measures for the development of the mining and metallurgical industry and related industries” was adopted, which in turn will increase copper production more than twice.

The resolution provides for the creation of a Scientific and Technological Cluster for the production of copper products and finished products with high added value from it. The main goal of the cluster is the creation of new high-tech industries, as well as providing them with the necessary resources, the production of equipment and the development of mechanical engineering for the mining industry.

Another purpose of the resolution is the implementation of a system of interaction between science and production for the development of communication between systems of design and engineering services, research and development work, the transfer of modern technologies, the introduction of innovations and digital technologies within the Cluster of the copper industry based on advanced foreign experience.

To increase copper production in 2022, a new technopark based on the Copper Cluster was created in the Akhangaran district of the Tashkent region (Ohangaron Tech Industrial technopark). The basis for the creation of the technopark was the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan No. PP-295 dated June 28, 2022 “On measures to expand the technological chains of processing copper raw materials and raw materials of rare metals“. The main goal of the technopark is the production of import-substituting, export-oriented products with high added value by processing copper and raw materials of rare metals.

In addition, the “Development Strategy of New Uzbekistan for 2022-2026” covers all spheres of activity, in particular, the sphere of the metallurgical industry. The objectives of the Strategy include the implementation of major investment projects in the field of metallurgy and the expansion of the mineral resource base necessary for the economy.

The key objectives set within the framework of the Strategy are to attract investments in the metallurgical industry, the development of the Yeshlik I mine (the project cost is $2 billion), which provides for the prospective development of the field and the acceleration of geological survey work. In particular, due to the solution of these tasks, by 2028, the production of copper cathode will be increased to 400 thousand tons, gold to 50 tons and silver to 270 tons per year. In accordance with the Strategy, it is planned to implement 16 investment projects worth $1.6 billion until 2026 in Navoi MMC.

In general, the republic is expected to increase the production of high-value-added products due to deep processing of copper and zinc, in particular, the production of tapes, wires and other products based on copper and zinc will increase to 10 thousand tons, and copper powder up to 2 thousand tons.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it should be emphasized that in recent years, large-scale reforms have been carried out in the field of non-ferrous metallurgy, which give a powerful impetus to the entire economy of the country. Further implementation of short- and long-term strategies, as well as the introduction of new capacities in the field of non-ferrous metallurgy will increase the production potential of this sphere and the country as a whole, as well as the competitiveness of domestic enterprises.

The post Uzbekistan: Non-Ferrous Metallurgy in the Prospects of Development appeared first on Policy Print.

   The upcoming vote on the draft of the Basic law of our country “On the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan” will determine the development of the country for many decades.

    This year, for the first time since the current constitution came into force, it is planned to make extensive changes to it. The number of articles in the country’s Basic Law will increase from 128 to 155, and together with the amendments, the Constitution will be updated by 65%.

    These adjustments were required not because the Constitution failed to live up to the expectations associated with it. On the contrary, hindsight shows that its adoption in 1992 was a historically significant event for Uzbekistan. It ensured the country’s progress in strengthening independence, achieving socioeconomic progress and democratizing. The basic law of the country is far from exhausting its creative potential.

    At the same time, we see something else. In the course of more than thirty years, the state and socio-political processes have changed dramatically. This is particularly noticeable when we look at the development of our country in the last 5-6 years.  Uzbekistan has become a different country in many respects.

Serious changes have taken place in our region and in the world in general. This dynamism is also reflected in the modern constitutional processes of our republic.

    As we know, any existing constitution is a political-legal document that should be sensitive to the fundamental changes in society and the state.

    Thus, life itself has put on the agenda the need to make adjustments to the Basic Law of the country.

    To briefly express the essence of the changes, they are aimed at solving a twofold task: to give a new impetus to the further development of Uzbekistan as a democratic, legal, social state, in which the highest value is the freedoms and rights of citizens, human rights and human welfare, as well as to ensure the sustainability of the state and its ability to meet the challenges facing our country in the 21st century.

    In this context, the foreign policy of Uzbekistan plays a special role. Cooperation in the international arena should help solve the tasks of socio-economic development of Uzbekistan and strengthen the political and economic security of the country.

    At the same time, constitutional norms and principles are the legal forms of expression of the most important objectives, enduring interests and values.

    In this regard, among the amendments related to international relations, there are innovations that imply the incorporation of generally recognized principles and norms of international law into the legal system of Uzbekistan.

    Thus, if an international treaty concluded by the Republic contradicts the national legislation, the rules of the treaty shall be applied.

    The principles of foreign policy, which Uzbekistan intends to follow, have been supplemented by “territorial integrity”.

    According to Article 19 of the draft of the new Constitution, human rights and freedoms shall be guaranteed in accordance with the norms of international law. This provision allows for the direct application of universally recognized norms of international law and their implementation in national legislation.

    If in the current version of the Constitution the right of free movement in the country is enjoyed only by citizens of Uzbekistan, now it is proposed to extend it to all those who are legally in the state.

    Uzbekistan is now establishing itself on the international stage as a peace-loving and open state, a reliable partner in global and regional affairs.

    Tashkent is working hard to implement a proactive, open, pragmatic and well-considered foreign policy in line with the country’s national interests in order to strengthen its sovereignty. It makes a significant contribution to shaping and implementing the global and regional security, cooperation and development agenda.

    The foreign policy strategy of the Republic has acquired new accents in the field of establishing trade and economic cooperation with foreign countries and attracting foreign investments.

    The country is implementing a large-scale program of profound socio-economic and socio-political reforms, which will contribute to Uzbekistan’s entry into the group of 50 economically developed countries of the world by 2035.

    This goal can only be achieved through successful and consistent integration into the global political-economic and financial system.

    Moreover, in the dynamically changing global is important to ensure the more effective and systematic promotion of Uzbekistan’s international initiatives based on pragmatism and systematic analysis to achieve concrete results for the country.

    The need to adjust the structure of foreign policy perspectives and diplomatic instruments to long-term interests makes it expedient to amend the Constitution of Uzbekistan.

    Thus, we can confidently say that the implementation of amendments based on the results of the forthcoming referendum on the Constitution of Uzbekistan will promote the strengthening of state independence of the country, its international authority, formation of a favorable external environment, strengthening of friendly and mutually beneficial political and economic relations of Uzbekistan with all interested states and international organizations.

The post Amendments to the Constitution: a Powerful Impetus for the Long-Term Foreign Policy Interests of Uzbekistan appeared first on Policy Print.

Deputy Director

International Institute for Central Asia

A national referendum on the law on the new Constitution will be held in Uzbekistan on April 30, 2023. The updated Basic Law is intended to consolidate the country’s strategic course for further reform of society and the state, which has had a positive impact on its foreign policy, primarily in the Central Asian region.

In this regard, it is obvious that the referendum will be the most important political event in the life of the citizens of Uzbekistan this year. This is evidenced, first of all, by the most active participation of society in the process of drafting a new Constitution.

The Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan recognized that it was initially envisaged to change 30% of the text of the Basic Law, but more than 220 thousand proposals were received, which is why the amendments now concern 65%. It is no coincidence that Uzbek expert and public circles already call the updated Constitution “people’s one”.

Reflection of the transformation of society and the state

In fact, the draft of the new Constitution reflects the serious changes that have taken place in Uzbekistan since the beginning of large-scale reforms announced by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the end of 2016. Then, for foreign experts, the political and economic opening of Uzbekistan came as a surprise. Most observers expected a few symbolic innovations, but mostly continuity. However, since Shavkat Mirziyoyev took office in 2016, Uzbekistan has undoubtedly been going through a phase of profound changes.

Serious amendments have been made to the draft new Constitution concerning human rights and freedoms, personal inviolability of citizens and their private life in criminal proceedings, conditions of detention, detention and detention. In the administration of justice, the use of evidence obtained in violation of the law is not allowed. Torture, violence, ill-treatment, and the death penalty are prohibited.

Unlike the current Basic Law, Uzbekistan is defined “as a legal, social, secular, democratic state.” Articles affecting the social rights of citizens in such important areas as education and healthcare have been significantly expanded. The rights of youth, children and women will be protected by the State. Special attention is paid to the protection of the rights and interests of citizens with disabilities, as well as socially vulnerable segments of the population.

For the first time, a separate chapter dedicated to civil society institutions is included, guarantees of their activities are established. Thus, special attention is paid to improving the norms concerning the strengthening of not only civil society institutions, but also the mass media. In this context, it should be emphasized that in December 2022, the number of foreign TV channels allowed to be distributed on the territory of Uzbekistan increased from 50 to 192. Among them are BBC, Sky News, CNN, CNBC, Fox News, Bloomberg and others.

In the part concerning the economic rights of citizens, a separate article in the draft Constitution prohibits forced labor, any form of child labor. In 2021, Uzbekistan eliminated forced and child labor from the production cycle in cotton growing.

According to the International Labor Organization, under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the country embarked on the path of reforms, including the modernization of the former agrarian economic model and the rejection of the widely used practice of using child and forced labor in cotton harvesting.

In Tashkent in March 2023, US Secretary of State E. Blinken called this fact a “historic achievement”. According to him, “this is a model for countries around the world facing similar problems.”… We look forward to working with the (Uzbek) government to advance similar efforts in other sectors.”

The updated Constitution of Uzbekistan significantly strengthens the role of Parliament.

Thus, it is proposed to increase the number of exclusive powers of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis from 5 to 12, the Senate – from 14 to 18. Part of the current powers of the president in the field of forming the system of executive and judicial power is transferred to parliament.

Thus, the renewal of the Constitution not only confirms the reformist course of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, but also defines clear guidelines for where Uzbekistan will move in its further development. There is still much to be done, the head of state himself has repeatedly noted, but reforms, renewal and modernization are irreversible.

According to the World Bank’s Regional Director for Central Asia, Tatiana Proskuryakova, “Uzbekistan remains committed to the most important reforms, despite the difficult situation around the world and in the region of Europe and Central Asia.” President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has launched a large-scale reform program, in which significant progress has been made, especially in the field of economic liberalization.

British experts were not mistaken when back in 2018 they noted that the economic modernization of Uzbekistan and its growing political openness could have huge consequences for economic growth and political stability throughout Central Asia. Uzbekistan is the most populous country in Central Asia and its geographical center. These features make him a natural and historical trendsetter of political and economic fashion in the region.

Modernization of Uzbekistan’s economy and increased political openness will be of great importance for economic growth and political stability in Central Asia. If successful, his reforms could also make Uzbekistan a positive model for other Muslim-majority countries.

New adjustments in the regional policy of Uzbekistan

In 2016, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev declared Central Asia the main priority of Uzbekistan’s foreign policy. The Preamble of the draft new Constitution notes “Uzbekistan’s desire to strengthen and develop friendly relations with the world community, primarily with neighboring states, on the basis of cooperation, mutual support, peace and harmony.”

It is noteworthy that in June 2018, exactly five years ago, the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution “Strengthening regional and international cooperation to ensure peace, stability and sustainable development in the Central Asian region”. The initiative to adopt this document was put forward by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the international conference on Central Asia, held in November 2017 in the city of Samarkand.

As the President of Uzbekistan noted at the time: “Our main goal is to jointly transform Central Asia into a stable, economically developed and prosperous region.” The regional policy of Shavkat Mirziyoyev has become a new stage in the history of interstate relations of the Central Asian countries and marked the beginning of their consolidation.

For the first time since gaining their independence, the Central Asian States have confirmed their ability not only to take joint actions to solve common regional problems, but also to ensure the well-being and prosperity of their citizens.

Today, the countries of the region are consistently solving the difficult tasks of ensuring security and stability, sustainable socio-economic development of Central Asia. A lot of barriers have been eliminated in a short time, first of all, sensitive border problems. Сonditions have been created for the free movement of citizens, active cultural and tourist exchanges between the countries of the region.

For the first time in recent decades, joint industrial cooperation projects have been launched, new value chains are being created. Thus, investment banks of Uzbekistan with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have been established to finance promising projects in the fields of industry, the agricultural sector, energy, infrastructure, automotive and other areas.

Moreover, water energy, which was previously a “bone of contention”, has become the subject of partnership between the countries of Central Asia. So, in January 2023, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan signed a roadmap for the implementation of the Kambarata HPP-1 construction project.

A favorable environment has been formed in Central Asia, which contributes to the growth of mutual trade. Uzbekistan has started creating border trade and economic zones with almost all countries of the region. Thanks to this, intraregional trade has doubled over the past five years, and the total GDP of the countries of the region has increased by $75 billion. to over $358 billion (in 1991, this figure was about $46 billion.).

All these changes have a positive impact on the daily life of the peoples of the Central Asian countries, improving their well-being, contributing to strengthening stability in the region. It is obvious that the reforms in Uzbekistan and its new regional policy have contributed to a serious acceleration of the economic development of the Central Asian countries.

Moreover, consolidation has allowed the countries of the region to increase their role as subjects of the system of international relations, as well as the ability to take responsibility for regional security. The international community recognizes that only a stable, dynamically developing and prosperous Central Asia can become an attractive, constructive and long-term partner.

As US Secretary of State E. Blinken noted in Tashkent, a more interconnected, cooperative Central Asia will be able to better determine its own future and meet the needs of its people.

Over the past five years, there has been a serious transformation of Central Asia, which has gone from a region of tension and conflict to a zone of mutual trust, cooperation and partnership. The agenda of the leaders of the Central Asian states has changed, in which issues of implementing common projects of interconnectedness in the spheres of trade, economy, investment, cultural and humanitarian ties already prevail today.

In short, in recent years, the dynamic trends of Uzbekistan’s cooperation with neighboring states have acquired a qualitatively new, systemic and dynamic character. In a short period of time, Uzbekistan’s bilateral relations with the countries of the region have been elevated to the level of strategic partnership (Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan) and alliance (Kazakhstan, Tajikistan).

The mechanism of Consultative Meetings of the heads of Central Asian States initiated by Uzbekistan in 2017 has been successfully launched, contributing to the formation of common approaches and joint search for solutions to problems of regional security and sustainable development. An active, constructive political dialogue is becoming a key factor in strengthening mutual trust and the common responsibility of the Central Asian States for the present and future of the region.

A powerful impetus to the multifaceted regional partnership is given by cultural and humanitarian cooperation, in which various social groups of the population of Central Asian countries have been increasingly involved in recent years. Such dynamics, strengthening the perception of historical and civilizational community in the societies of the states of the region, creates conditions for strengthening regional identity.

The countries of the region are building balanced relations with the leading states within the framework of the dialogue format “Central Asia Plus”. This practice has acquired a steady, regular character, contributing to strengthening the image of Central Asia as a unified, consolidated and strategically important region in the system of international relations.

In general, the main result of the implementation of the new regional policy of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was not only the overcoming of previously seemingly unsolvable contradictions, but also the formation of a powerful foundation for further promotion of regional priorities in the field of security and sustainable development.

In this regard, the renewal of the Constitution, which defines the trajectory of Uzbekistan’s transformation into an open, democratic, dynamically developing stable state with a strong civil society, determines Tashkent’s more active regional policy in Central Asia. This trend meets the long-term interests not only of the Central Asian countries themselves, but also of the entire international community, which expresses its support for the processes taking place since 2016 in one of the strategically important regions of the world.

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