“You are limiting yourselves to diplomatic notes”: President criticizes Foreign Ministry over migrant issues

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has criticized the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for responding to inhumane treatment and raids against Uzbek labor migrants abroad by doing little more than issuing diplomatic notes. He made the remarks on January 15 during a video conference meeting on the activities of the Foreign Ministry and Uzbekistan’s diplomatic missions abroad.

During the meeting, it was noted that reports of violations of the rights of Uzbek citizens during various raids conducted in foreign countries have sparked serious public concern. In many cases, the Foreign Ministry has confined its response to issuing official diplomatic notes.

“Ambassadors and consuls must provide qualified legal assistance in every such case and ensure the protection of the rights and interests of our citizens abroad,” the president said.

He also stressed that the growing involvement of young people and students abroad in various extremist or harmful movements should be a matter of serious concern.

The president emphasized that ambassadors must abandon what he described as “office-based diplomacy” and instead visit construction sites, dormitories, and university classrooms where Uzbek citizens work or study abroad, identify their problems on the ground, and actively work on solutions.

Officials were instructed to establish a free call center for citizens who find themselves in difficult situations abroad and to create a system that enables rapid coordination with relevant ministries to resolve their appeals.

“The fact that some of our citizens are staying abroad illegally is a matter of concern for us,” the head of state said.

The meeting also acknowledged that more than 150,000 Uzbek citizens benefited from a “migration amnesty” in Russia last year. It was noted that similar efforts should be pursued in other countries to help Uzbek nationals obtain legal employment, intensify negotiations with foreign partners, and at the same time ensure that citizens comply with the laws of their host countries.

Going forward, work with labor migrants in countries experiencing growing migration flows, particularly in Europe, was designated as a primary responsibility of consular staff at Uzbek embassies.

In addition, instructions were given to further simplify the procedure for registering Uzbek citizens abroad with consular offices and to reduce excessive bureaucracy.