EUROPE DAY ADDRESS BY H.E. Ms. CHARLOTTE ADRIAEN, AMBASSADOR OF THE EUROPEAN UNION TO UZBEKISTAN

Minister, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear friends of the European Union and Uzbekistan,

Thank you for joining us tonight to celebrate Europe Day.  

A very warm welcome! 

Every year on 9 May we mark the foundation of the European Union, the day when our project for peace, unity and prosperity was born. On this day in 1950, 73 years ago, the great European statesman Robert Schuman issued his famous declaration in which he called for the creation of a European coal and steel community. By internationalising the hardware of war, we would create the basis for sustainable peace, security and prosperity in Europe. War between the countries of Europe, so long ravaged and impoverished by conflict, would finally become unthinkable.

Schuman’s plan became reality, at first for six countries, and then evolving over the following decades to become what we are today: a Union of 27 member countries, uniting 448 million citizens in peace and prosperity.

In his declaration of 9 May 1950, Robert Schuman said: “Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity.”

This is why we are honoured to share this celebration with you.

Next year, we will celebrate thirty years of formal diplomatic relations between the European Union and Uzbekistan. During this period, we have seen the relationship between the EU and Uzbekistan take great steps forward, in particular during the last few years.

Let me highlight some of the achievements since we last celebrated Europe Day.

Our partnership is strong and based on common values as well as common interests. This has allowed us to place it on an even firmer formal foundation. Last year, the new Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and Uzbekistan, was initialled and we expect it to be signed in the near future. This new agreement will extend our cooperation into new areas and enrich our exchanges across the board.

As you know, Uzbekistan also entered the EU’s General System of Preferences Plus, a bit more than two years ago. This has given us a new platform to discuss the 27 UN Conventions and on-going reforms, matters of mutual interest and international governance linked to it. This has also prompted a big increase in trade between the EU and Uzbekistan, taking advantage of the removal of tariffs on two thirds of the product lines exported to the EU from Uzbekistan. As a result, Uzbekistan’s exports to the EU has increased 89%. Trade is increasing and the reform process is also gaining pace.

We have also a shared focus on green growth and investment, and on sustainable connectivity. Last November’s EU-Central Asia Sustainable Connectivity Conference in Samarkand was a great success, which owed much to the energy and leadership of Uzbekistan. This will continue to be a rich area of cooperation in the coming years, given the many challenges we face in this area. With Climate Change, it is in our common interest to build closer economic ties between the EU and Uzbekistan, to support Uzbekistan’s economic reform process, to support its green transition as well as its entry into the WTO, and to promote high quality investment. We will soon have the second EU-CA economic Forum, on 18-19 May, in Almaty, where new initiatives in digital, transport and Water, environment and Energy will be announced as a follow up of the Samarkand conference.

Obviously, the global situation is a concern for us all, Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war on Ukraine, the dire humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, the on-going climate change, the economic vulnerabilities and uncertainties,  it is more important than ever that we work together in expanding sustainable and inclusive economic opportunities, but above all to uphold international law and find international solutions which respect that law.

Europe is a partner for Uzbekistan as it continues to press forward with its reform programme.

Just this past week we saw the courageous step taken to put proposals for a new constitution to a public vote and we saw the public respond by expressing its full confidence in those proposals. The government of Uzbekistan now carries the weighty responsibility of delivering on the promise of these reforms, not only to modernise the economy of this fast-growing country with its enormous potential, but also to respond to the public’s legitimate expectation of a society that is just, well governed, under the rule of law, where the people can participate fully and freely in the national political conversation.

We, as your European partners wish to support you as you cement the positive changes in human rights, women’s rights and fundamental freedoms which are announced in the New Constitution.

And let me conclude by one of my strongest beliefs – for any change, for any innovation, for any progress: people are key and skills are essential.  We are ceIebrating the European year of skills, coinciding with the Uzbek Year of Education and Human Care, and because, it all depends on people, on youth, on their capacities and capabilities, let me highlight another success:

Uzbekistan is one of the main beneficiaries of Erasmus +, with a vibrant exchange between Universities in Europe and all regions of Uzbekistan, in all kind of educational sectors. These are exchanges of teachers and students and it is signalling an amazing thirst for cooperation, progress and innovation. It creates skills, but it also creates links for the long term.

Here Uzbek wisdom comes to my mind: Nima eksang, shuni o‘rasan - What you sow is what you reap.

I am sure all the investments in the youth, women and girls, education and skills is the future of an even stronger EU-Uzbekistan relationship and above all, the future for a  prosper Uzbekistan.

Allow me to complete my remarks with the words of thanks.  Thanks to the very dedicated Uzbek colleagues both from state and private sector as well as international partners and civil society organizations for the excellent cooperation.

Thanks also to my team and our project partners. Without you and your constant efforts, the EU in Uzbekistan would not be as good a partner. And let me also thank my fellow Ambassadors of the EU Member States as their contribution makes the European engagement in Uzbekistan a “Team Europe” engagement.

I wish for the EU - Uzbekistan partnership and cooperation to continue deepening. Let me also wish good health and prosperity to the people of Uzbekistan.

Long live Europe.

Long live Uzbekistan.

And happy Europe Day to all of you!