BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 11. Uzbekistan took part in the 33rd meeting of the CIS Advisory Council of Heads of Consular Services in Minsk, Belarus, where member states discussed strengthening legal cooperation, improving consular assistance mechanisms, and advancing digital solutions in cross-border administrative processes.
This was reflected in a statement by the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
The Uzbek delegation joined representatives from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, as well as the CIS Executive Committee. Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan participated as observers.
During the session, Uzbekistan and other CIS countries reviewed the implementation of the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and relevant bilateral agreements, along with cooperation under the 2002 Convention on Legal Assistance in Civil, Family and Criminal Matters.
Uzbek side emphasized the importance of enhancing information exchange between consular services to ensure faster and more effective assistance to citizens abroad. The Uzbek side also supported efforts to improve interagency coordination and expand the mutual recognition of official documents within the CIS framework.
A key area of focus for Uzbekistan was the digitalization of consular cooperation. Participants discussed the creation of a unified electronic information exchange system between justice and foreign affairs authorities, which Uzbekistan described as an important step toward more efficient and transparent administrative processes.
The Uzbek delegation also supported proposals to hold regular expert-level meetings on the implementation of CIS legal instruments, aimed at addressing practical challenges and improving coordination among member states.
The next CIS consular services meeting is scheduled for 2027.
