During the visit of the Republic of Uzbekistan’s delegation to Ottawa, Uzbekistan Day was held at the Canadian Parliament, during which the book “New Uzbekistan: The Path of Shavkat Mirziyoyev” was presented.

The event attracted over 80 guests, including members of Parliament, officials from the Prime Minister’s office, representatives of various ministries and agencies, business associations, and members of the expert community and the media. The Canadian side was provided with detailed information on Uzbekistan’s current reform agenda, including economic liberalization, improvements to the investment climate, measures to support women and youth, and new initiatives in green energy and innovation.

Participants highly praised the scale of transformations being carried out under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, noting that the creation of an open and predictable business environment positions the country as one of the most promising partners.

The Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (ISRS) Bakhtiyor Mustafayev delivered a report on the country’s new regional course, which, he said, has made Central Asia a more stable and sustainable region. He emphasized that since President Mirziyoyev’s election, Uzbekistan has shifted from cautious isolation to an open policy. This has enabled sustainable dialogue among regional states, the resolution of longstanding issues concerning borders and the shared use of cross-border rivers, and the activation of cooperation in trade, energy, and transport.

“All this has significantly strengthened Central Asia’s position on the international stage, as evidenced by the expansion of cooperation with external partners within the ‘Central Asia Plus’ format, including China, Russia, the EU, and the USA”, the speaker underscored.

According to the ISRS expert, the region’s key task remains ensuring openness, interconnectivity, and stability to enable effective, mutually beneficial cooperation with all partners. Particular attention, he noted, is being given to deepening engagement with Canada.

In this context, Mustafayev elaborated in detail on the prospects for expanding relations between Uzbekistan and Canada. He stressed that Tashkent and Ottawa share similar values – openness, respect for international law, a commitment to dialogue, and mutually beneficial partnership. Moreover, both countries are oriented toward economic diversification and the adoption of innovative solutions.

The expert identified several areas that could become growth points for cooperation between Uzbekistan and Canada – the development of green energy projects, the implementation of joint technological initiatives in artificial intelligence, the expansion of educational exchanges, and the further promotion of tourism and cultural programs.

UzA