Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 11 October 2024, the KOICA Uzbekistan Office hosted the ‘2024 Development Cooperation Partner’s Day’ event, aimed at strengthening partnerships with development partners in Uzbekistan and establishing a network between KOICA training programs graduates and government stakeholders.

A key highlight of the event was the announcement of the establishment of the KOICA Uzbekistan Alumni Association. As the brand name of the KOICA training program CIAT (Capacity Improvement & Advancement for Tomorrow: which is pronounced the same as Korean word for “seed”), this establishment of KOICA Uzbekistan Alumni Association aims to foster Uzbekistan’s future development.

In his welcoming speech, Won Do Yeon, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Uzbekistan, emphasized that the expertise and experience of KOICA scholarship alumni represent significant assets for Uzbekistan’s sustainable development. He further noted that the recent visit of President Yoon Suk Yeol to Uzbekistan marks a new phase in the deepening of development cooperation between the two nations. Ambassador Won congratulated the establishment of the alumni association and underscored its vital role in fostering communication and networking among its members.

Bekmurodov Adkham, Rector of the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, also delivered a congratulatory address. As a 1995 alumnus of the KOICA training program, he reflected on his personal experience of visiting major electronic and industrial companies in the Republic of Korea, which provided valuable insights into the country’s economic development. "Today, the KOICA training programs continue to contribute to Uzbekistan’s development across various sectors," he remarked.

During the event, several distinguished alumni of the KOICA training programs were appointed as executive members of the newly formed association: Akhrorov Komiljon (Group Leader, JSC ‘Uzbekneftegaz’) as President, Kim Maksim (Director of the Center for Professional and Lifelong Education, Westminster International University) as Vice President, Malikova Iroda (Senior Social and Environmental Local Consultant, JURU Consulting) as Secretary, Rustamov Foziljon (Researcher, Tashkent State University of Economics) as Treasurer, and Uktam Shamsiev (Head of Department, Tax Committee under the Cabinet of Ministers) as Internal Auditor.