The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, Bakhtiyor Saidov, received Her Excellency Sarah Walsh, the newly appointed Ambassador of New Zealand to Uzbekistan. The meeting marked the beginning of Walsh’s tenure, succeeding Iann Alexander Hill, and was reported by the Dunyo news agency.
In a statement on his Telegram channel, Minister Saidov expressed his pleasure at meeting Ambassador Walsh and receiving her credentials. He highlighted the discussion on potential areas of cooperation between the two nations, ranging from innovative agriculture to green energy. Minister Saidov conveyed his best wishes to Ambassador Walsh for a successful term in realizing the vast potential of bilateral relations between Uzbekistan and New Zealand.
Diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and New Zealand were established on March 11, 1992. In a significant move to strengthen these ties, Uzbekistan introduced a visa-free regime for New Zealand citizens for a period of 30 days, effective from February 1, 2019. This initiative has seen a positive response, with 736 New Zealand tourists visiting Uzbekistan in the first 10 months of this year alone.
As Ambassador Walsh begins her term with residence in Moscow, the future holds promising prospects for further strengthening the diplomatic ties and exploring new avenues of fruitful cooperation between Uzbekistan and New Zealand.