Australia has recently designated a new ambassador to Uzbekistan

On February 23, John Gearing, Australia's appointed ambassador to Uzbekistan, headquartered in Moscow, was officially welcomed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bakhtiyor Saidov, who made the announcement on his Telegram channel.

Bakhtiyor Saidov stated, "We had a meeting with Mr. John Gearing, the Ambassador of Australia to Uzbekistan, and received copies of his credentials."

The meeting agenda included discussions on broadening bilateral trade, exploring fresh avenues for collaboration, and addressing various regional and global matters.

John Gearing brings a wealth of experience to his new role, having held key positions within the Australian Ministry of Defence and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. His previous roles within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs include leading the departments responsible for European and Latin American countries, as well as the administrative department.

Aside from his responsibilities in Uzbekistan, Gearing served as Australia's ambassador to Russia since November 2023, with accreditation extending to Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan.

It's worth noting that the previous Australian ambassador to Uzbekistan, Graeme Meehan, concluded his tenure in the country, spanning from 2020 to 2024.

Furthermore, on February 23, Bakhtiyor Saidov also received the credentials of the new Cuban ambassador to Uzbekistan.