Lukashenko appoints new ambassador to Uzbekistan

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has appointed a new ambassador to Uzbekistan, making the announcement on January 14.  

Alexander Ogorodnikov, previously the First Deputy Minister of Industry, will now serve as the head of Belarus's diplomatic mission in Uzbekistan. Meanwhile, Dmitry Pinevich, the former Minister of Health, has been appointed as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Azerbaijan.  

President Lukashenko emphasized the importance of maintaining strong diplomatic ties with Uzbekistan, mirroring the approach taken with Kazakhstan.  

"We have excellent relations with President Mirziyoyev. However, we need to actively engage with them. I am confident that there is a vast potential for collaboration," Lukashenko remarked.  

Ogorodnikov succeeds Leonid Marinich, who served as the Belarusian ambassador to Uzbekistan since 2018.  

For context, at the end of last year, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov appointed Duyshonkul Chotonov as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kyrgyzstan to Uzbekistan, further highlighting the growing diplomatic activities in the region.