Tashkent, , April 7, 2025 – The Europe Today: President of the Republic of Uzbekistan delivered a keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 150th Anniversary Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), warmly welcoming distinguished parliamentary delegations from across the globe to the historic city of Tashkent.
The event marks a historic milestone as the first-ever IPU Assembly held in Central Asia, bringing together over 2,000 participants from nearly 140 countries, including representatives of 181 national parliaments and 15 regional associations.
“We are immensely proud that the conference is being held in our magnificent capital city of Tashkent,” the President declared. “This is a recognition of the profound democratic reforms and the strengthening of parliamentarism in Uzbekistan.”
Addressing IPU President Tulia Ackson, IPU Secretary General Martin Chungong, and parliamentary leaders from around the world, the President highlighted the transformative journey of Uzbekistan’s legislative institutions, underpinned by the country’s new Constitution adopted via referendum in 2023. Notable reforms include the expansion of parliamentary powers, greater oversight functions, and enhanced roles for local representative bodies.
The President noted that the share of women in Uzbekistan’s parliament has reached 38 percent, the highest growth rate in the Asian region over the last 30 years, and emphasized the importance of empowering youth through the establishment of Youth Parliaments under the Oliy Majlis in 2021.
Underscoring the theme of the Assembly—“Parliamentary Action for Social Development and Justice”—the President drew attention to global inequalities despite significant economic growth. He called for stronger inter-parliamentary collaboration to address poverty, education gaps, and socio-economic disparity, citing data that projects 575 million people may remain in poverty by 2030 without effective interventions.
The address also outlined five priority areas for global parliamentary cooperation:
- Conflict Resolution and Diplomacy: The President reaffirmed Uzbekistan’s commitment to peaceful solutions and international law, expressing support for the ongoing Ukraine negotiations and reiterating support for the two-state solution in the Palestine-Israel conflict. He also urged constructive engagement with Afghanistan as a key regional partner.
- Climate Change: Acknowledging the disproportionate impact of climate crises on developing nations, the President called for legislative support to advance climate commitments under the Paris Agreement and emphasized the outcomes of Uzbekistan’s recent International Climate Forum in Samarkand.
- Women’s Empowerment: Citing the economic and social potential of gender equality, he encouraged continued global efforts to promote women’s roles in public governance and expressed hope for support of Uzbekistan’s initiative for a new UNGA resolution on expanding Asian women’s socio-economic and political roles.
- Youth Engagement: The President proposed the creation of a Global Platform of Youth Parliaments under the IPU system and offered Uzbekistan as the venue for its inaugural forum.
- Social Protection and Poverty Reduction: Detailing Uzbekistan’s national program “From Poverty to Prosperity,” he announced that over 7 million citizens have been lifted out of poverty, with a continued national target to reduce poverty to 6 percent in 2025. He extended an invitation to all national parliaments to attend the upcoming International Conference on Poverty Reduction, set for September in Uzbekistan.
The President also addressed the importance of ethical and legislative frameworks for artificial intelligence (AI) and proposed the development of a model law on AI ethics to guide international regulation in this rapidly advancing field.
“All our proposals are aligned with the strategic vision of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and will contribute meaningfully to the Tashkent Declaration,” the President noted. “By uniting our legislative efforts and experience, we can meet today’s challenges and shape a just and sustainable future.”
Concluding his address, the President expressed his confidence that the Assembly’s 70 scheduled events and debates would yield a comprehensive exchange of views and fruitful outcomes, further deepening the IPU’s global role in peacebuilding, justice, and sustainable development.
“Welcome to Uzbekistan, dear friends. I wish you strength, inspiration, and every success in your honorable mission.”
