Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Today, on 14 May, the first meeting of the Regional Expert Council of Central Asian Countries on the rehabilitation and reintegration of returnees from armed conflict zones is being held in Tashkent.

High representatives of the UN, OSCE, RATS SCO, ATC CIS, representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in Uzbekistan, as well as more than 120 specialists and experts from Central Asian countries, international organizations in the field of rehabilitation and reintegration of returnees from conflict zones, including including in matters of bringing to justice persons suspected of committing criminal acts.

Director of ISMI Eldor Aripov, Deputy Secretary-General and Head of the UNOCT Vladimir Voronkov, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Central Asia and Head of UNRCCA Kakha Imnadze acting Head of the Executive Directorate of the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the UN Security Council Weisun Chen, Coordinator of the OSCE on countering transnational threats of the OSCE Secretariat Alena Kupchina addressed the participants of the event with a welcoming speech.

As part of the event, the official launch of the activities of the Regional Expert Council in Central Asia on the rehabilitation and reintegration of returnees, initiated by the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev during an international conference in Tashkent on 3-4 March 2022, took place.

The establishment of an expert council will improve regional and national rehabilitation programs and reintegration of persons returned from conflict zones, as well as develop proposals for increasing the effectiveness of counter-terrorism measures.

In addition, the Regional Expert Council will act as a unique platform for exchanging experience, strengthening interaction and coordination between experts from Central Asian countries.

The outcome of the event will also be the adoption of the Road Map for cooperation between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the UNOCT for 2024-2025. This document will allow us to bring bilateral practical interaction to a qualitatively new level.

The “Road Map” envisages the organization of joint trainings, conferences, as well as the provision of technical, advisory and financial assistance to the Uzbek side on all aspects of countering terrorist threats.