At the headquarters of the United Nations in New York, the General Debates of the 80th session of the General Assembly took place. Despite being held at a challenging time for international relations, the General Assembly remains the UN’s principal deliberative body and, in essence, the heart of global diplomacy, bringing together delegations from all 193 member states of the Organization.
On September 23 this year, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev was among the first world leaders to address the high rostrum. His speech reflected not only the dynamics of the internal reforms in the country but also bold foreign policy initiatives aimed at strengthening Central Asia’s role on the global stage. The Head of State also emphasized the importance of multilateral cooperation, international solidarity, and sustainable development as the foundation for addressing today’s pressing global challenges.
The international community highly praised the President’s address. In particular, Euronews described the speech as “visionary,” noting that it demonstrated how Uzbekistan is “building prosperity at home and partnership abroad amid a rapidly changing global environment.”
According to the official UN website, the speech was directed at finding collective solutions to overcome escalating crises, including the weakening of international institutions, the growing number of conflicts, and widening technological inequality. UN Secretary-General António Guterres specifically highlighted the President’s call for reforming the United Nations, particularly through expanding the composition of the Security Council to more effectively safeguard the interests of developing nations.
In his address, the Leader of Uzbekistan placed special emphasis on the significance of domestic transformations, viewing them as a key element in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To ensure comprehensive social and economic progress, he proposed several initiatives aimed at advancing national reforms and achieving a “radical improvement in the quality of life of every family and every citizen.”
First and foremost, while acknowledging the country’s achievements in socio-economic transformation, the President underscored that one of the top priorities of national policy is poverty reduction, which corresponds to the first goal of the SDGs.
In the Face of Global Challenges, Combating Poverty Has Become a Key National Priority.
In the context of global challenges, combating poverty has become one of the state’s most urgent tasks. All measures are aimed at creating conditions under which every individual - particularly young people and women - can fully realize their potential.
Thanks to consistent strategic steps, sustainable progress has been achieved in this direction. In recent years, the poverty rate in Uzbekistan has fallen to 6.6% (from 17% in 2022 and 11% in 2023).
According to leading international financial institutions, Uzbekistan has demonstrated one of the most significant results in this area among the countries of Europe and Central Asia.
Uzbekistan has set an ambitious goal: by 2030, to double its gross domestic product, join the group of upper-middle-income countries, and fulfill its international commitments to sustainable development. To this end, the national program “From Poverty to Prosperity” is being implemented, aimed at comprehensively improving the standard of living of the population.
Education as a Cornerstone of Human Capital.
A particular emphasis has been placed on the education system, which is undoubtedly one of the key components of human capital and an essential driver of economic growth.
In this regard, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s initiative to host the World Summit on professional education in Uzbekistan was well-founded and timely. The proposal is especially relevant against the backdrop of a global shortage of skilled professionals. According to UNESCO, this shortage arises from the insufficient adaptation of education systems to modern realities, where not only traditional knowledge but also so-called “21st-century skills” are required.
Vocational education is considered critically important in ensuring that the workforce meets the demands of the labor market. This is particularly significant in the context of the rapid modernization of the economy, where technological advancements are reshaping traditional employment models. Current realities dictate that qualified specialists are the driving force of innovation and competitiveness.
Uzbekistan is paying special attention to vocational education, which is reflected in its national system of lifelong learning. This includes secondary specialized and vocational education alongside higher, postgraduate, and other forms of education. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has declared 2026 the “Year of Preparing Youth for Modern Professions” and has defined the priority areas for the development of vocational education in the coming years.
As part of these ongoing programs, the government has set the task of increasing the enrollment rate in secondary vocational education to 50% by 2026. To attract more young people to study and to introduce a new learning environment aligned with international standards, Agency for Vocational Education is being established to oversee all 598 technical colleges across the country.
Within the course of one year, 100 vocational colleges in Uzbekistan will establish partnerships with leading educational institutions from Germany, Switzerland, China, Korea, and the United Kingdom, introducing their most advanced vocational training programs.
In this regard, particular attention is being paid to the promotion of dual education as a modern and forward-looking model for workforce training. An important step will be the introduction of dual education within the framework of industrial projects. According to the government’s new programs, in 2026 the country will launch 456 major industrial projects with a total value of around 45 billion US dollars.
It is expected that the coverage of dual education will increase fivefold. Partner enterprises will be provided with preferential loans of up to 5 billion soums, while the unified social tax for students enrolled in the dual education system will be reduced by half. This will serve as an additional incentive for businesses.
Hosting the summit in Uzbekistan opens up new opportunities for the development of a global dialogue in the field of education. The event will draw attention to the integration of digital technologies and the adaptation of curricula to the demands of the rapidly changing labor market. This will not only improve the quality of education but also expand opportunities for young people, reduce unemployment, and strengthen social stability.
Youth as a Key Driver of the Future.
The President placed special emphasis on the youth agenda. He stressed that the future of peace depends on the younger generation and put forward an initiative to establish a World Youth Movement for Peace, with its headquarters in Uzbekistan.
This initiative is particularly relevant given the rapid growth of the global youth population. Today, there are 1.2 billion young people aged 15 to 24 worldwide, accounting for 16 percent of the global population. By 2030, their number is expected to rise to 1.3 billion.
Since 2018, more than 10 international documents have been adopted within the framework of the United Nations, defining the main directions of youth policy and outlining solutions to youth-related challenges. The adoption of the Declaration on Future Generations in 2024 and the introduction of a new position within the UN system - the Special Envoy for Future Generations - also highlight the importance of this issue.
In Uzbekistan, paramount importance is attached to youth issues, the full realization of their potential in all spheres, as well as the improvement of the legislative framework and programs. In particular, the new edition of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan dedicates Chapter XIV to the protection of the rights, freedoms, and legitimate interests of young people.
The Concept for the Development of State Youth Policy in Uzbekistan is being implemented, based on the principle of “working with youth in the interests of youth,” as outlined in the United Nations Youth Strategy 2030.
Within this framework, all conditions are being created to provide access to quality education. Currently, more than 2,000 Uzbek students are studying at the world’s top universities, including 750 funded by the state through the “El-Yurt Umidi” Foundation. It is noteworthy that last year, the youth of Uzbekistan ranked first in Central Asia in terms of admission to the world’s top 500 universities.
Efforts are also underway to address youth employment challenges. As practical measures, programs for vocational training and support of youth entrepreneurial initiatives have been approved and are actively functioning.
In accordance with the presidential decree, from 2025 to 2027, the Youth Business Program will be implemented. This program aims to reach 350,000 young people and includes the creation of at least 100,000 additional jobs, comprehensive services for young entrepreneurs, as well as financial support. It will also provide preferential financing for startups and youth investment projects.
Gender Equality as a Foundation of Sustainable Development
A separate part of the speech was devoted to gender issues. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized that strengthening the role of women in social, political, and business life is a crucial condition for the country’s sustainable development.
As noted in the United Nations report Gender Snapshot 2025, closing the gender digital divide alone could benefit 343.5 million women and girls worldwide, lift 30 million out of poverty by 2050, and contribute to a $1.5 trillion increase in global GDP by 2030.
In Uzbekistan, large-scale measures are being implemented to enhance the political, social, and economic engagement of women, to strengthen gender equality, and to safeguard women’s rights and interests.
A crucial foundation for this work is a modern legislative framework that fully aligns with international standards. Over the past five years, more than 80 regulatory documents have been adopted, including the laws “On Guarantees of Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women and Men” and “On the Protection of Women from Harassment and Violence.” New mechanisms have been introduced in practice, such as gender analysis of draft legislation, gender-responsive budgeting, and the conduct of gender audits.
A Gender Strategy 2030 has been adopted to adjust gender equality policies and ensure their comprehensive implementation across all industries and sectors.
In line with these objectives, efforts are underway to prepare a new generation of women leaders. This year, the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, together with the Republican Commission on Enhancing the Role of Women, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and with the support of the Government of the United Kingdom, launched a training program for female representatives of political parties. It should be noted that the share of women in public administration has now reached 35 percent, compared to 27 percent in 2017.
The comprehensive nature of this policy has been highly praised by international observers. In the Global Gender Gap Index, Uzbekistan rose to 52nd place (from 103rd in 2022) - the best result in Central Asia.
The official opening of the UN Women office in Uzbekistan this year marked the beginning of a new era in the country’s ongoing cooperation with the Organization. It also testifies to the international recognition of Uzbekistan’s positive progress in promoting gender equality and women’s rights, as well as to the UN’s firm commitment to building a more inclusive and equitable society.
By bringing this issue to the highest international platform, the Head of State initiated the regular convening of the Asian Women’s Forum. This major initiative is seamlessly integrated into the UN’s global strategy “Women, Peace, and Security.”
The institutionalization of this forum complements the reforms being carried out in Uzbekistan in this field, while also serving as a unique platform for the constructive engagement of women leaders across the region.
It provides opportunities to exchange experiences on further development, expand women’s participation in governance and society, and strengthen their role in the economy.
According to United Nations data, Asia is home to 4.82 billion people today, accounting for 60.6% of the world’s population. Women make up 2.3 billion, or 48.8% of the region’s total population.
Last year, the Asian Women’s Forum was held in Samarkand for the first time. The initiative to convene this forum was put forward by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during the 78th session of the UN General Assembly.
An analysis of the address delivered by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly highlights Uzbekistan’s firm commitment to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The initiatives voiced outline a vision of a sustainable future in which human capital and global solidarity become the key drivers of progress. These steps not only strengthen Uzbekistan’s standing on the world stage but also establish a model of positive transformation for the entire region.
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