Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — As part of the official visit of German Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Uzbekistan, on September 16, a meeting took place in Samarkand between Lieutenant General Pulat Bobojonov, Minister of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan, and Ms. Nancy Faeser, Minister of the Interior and Homeland of the Federal Republic of Germany.

During the meeting, both parties noted that cooperation between the interior ministries of the two countries has steadily developed in recent years.

Positive outcomes of this collaboration include the organization of legal and crime prevention seminar-trainings by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), initiatives related to experience exchange within the framework of the Project for Law Enforcement Cooperation Development in Central Asia, and practical collaboration with Olaf Vorbs, the representative of the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) for Central Asia.

It was highlighted at the meeting that, in recent years, to facilitate the convenience of foreign citizens visiting Uzbekistan, a visa-free regime of up to 30 days has been introduced for citizens of 81 foreign countries, including Germany.

As a result, the number of German citizens visiting Uzbekistan has increased annually. For instance, in 2022, around 40,000 Germans visited, and in the first eight months of this year, that number has already exceeded 51,000. Conversely, the number of Uzbek citizens living and working in Germany has surpassed 2,000.

The parties also emphasized that the Intergovernmental Agreement on “Migration and Mobility,” signed during high-level meetings, will further promote mutual visits between the citizens of both nations in the future.

During the meeting, both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in the effective fight against cybercrime, the development of digital forensics, and the exchange of expertise in personnel training and retraining.

The heads of the ministries particularly noted that the meeting was held in a friendly and constructive atmosphere, with promising objectives set to be implemented in the near future.