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.
