FOREIGN POLICY INSTITUTIONS IN UZBEKISTAN: FROM POST- SOVIET FORMATION TO REFORM ERA

Аннотация

After gaining independence in 1991, Uzbekistan began to establish its own foreign policy institutions, navigating the post-Soviet regional and global environment. During the early independence years, institutional structures were minimal and decision-making was highly centralized, reflecting the nascent nature of state diplomacy. Under President Islom Karimov, institutions were consolidated, and normative legal frameworks were introduced; however, foreign policy remained largely executive-centered, with limited institutional autonomy. The reform era, beginning in 2016 under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, marked a significant institutional modernization. Uzbekistan strengthened its diplomatic capacity, promoted regional cooperation in Central Asia, diversified international partnerships, and integrated foreign policy objectives into broader economic and strategic planning. The article concludes that Uzbekistan’s foreign policy institutions have gradually evolved, balancing modernization and institutional strengthening with the continued dominance of executive decision-making. This transformation enhances Uzbekistan’s capacity to pursue an active, diversified, and economically beneficial foreign policy.