THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN AND THE ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMIC COOPERATION: STRICKS TO THE CURRENT STATE OF BILATERAL RELATIONS AND THEIR PROSPECTS

Abstract

The article examines the cooperation between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the context of shaping the country’s foreign policy after gaining independence in 1991. The author analyzes Uzbekistan’s multi-vector strategy aimed at strengthening national interests and integrating into the Islamic world, as well as explores the stages of interaction with the OIC from political, economic, cultural, and human rights perspectives. The study compares various academic approaches. Western scholars view Uzbekistan’s participation in the OIC as a tool for strengthening international legitimacy and balancing between East and West, while regional researchers emphasize the practical benefits of cultural and economic cooperation. The paper discusses Uzbekistan’s participation in the activities of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is an international governmental organization (IСESCO), the hosting of the 43rd session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Tashkent (2016), the adoption of the Tashkent Declaration on Youth Rights (2019), as well as the recognition of Bukhara and Khiva as capitals of Islamic culture. These developments reflect the growing role of Uzbekistan in the Islamic world and in international initiatives promoting sustainable development, education, and human rights protection.