Mirziyoyev awards Tokayev

Today, on November 15, at the Kuksaroy residence, a ceremony was held to present the highest state award of Uzbekistan — the ’’Order of Highest Degree of Friendship’’ — to the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The President’s press service reported the news.

While presenting the award, Uzbekistan’s leader Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized the significant personal contributions of the President of Kazakhstan to strengthening friendship, good-neighborliness, strategic partnership, and alliance relations between the two brotherly nations.

’’It is a great honor for me to solemnly award you — a dear friend of our country — with Uzbekistan’s highest state award, the ‘Order of Highest Degree of Friendship.’ This is a sincere expression of respect and recognition from the multinational people of Uzbekistan for the outstanding services of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In our country, you are well known as a world-renowned, distinguished statesman and political leader. Today, under your wise leadership, large-scale reforms are being carried out to build a Just Kazakhstan. Extensive development work is underway in all spheres. The well-being of the people of Kazakhstan is steadily improving, and most importantly, their confidence in the future is strengthening. As a close friend and neighbor, we genuinely rejoice in Kazakhstan’s achievements,’’ Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.

It was emphasized that thanks to joint efforts, relations between the two nations have reached an entirely new level of development and have become exemplary. According to the remarks, parliaments, governments, regions, businesses, civil society institutions, and youth are actively cooperating; cultural and humanitarian exchanges are expanding; trade turnover is steadily growing; and major cooperation projects are being implemented in industry, agriculture, energy, and transport.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s efforts to ensure peace and sustainable development on a global scale, as well as to strengthen an atmosphere of trust, mutual solidarity, and partnership in the region, were highlighted separately.

The President of Kazakhstan expressed his gratitude to the leader of Uzbekistan and the people of Uzbekistan for such a high honor and affirmed his confidence that relations between the brotherly countries, rooted in friendship and alliance, would continue to grow even stronger.

’’This high award embodies the ideas of friendship, peace, and respect — values that are close to the hearts of the people of Kazakhstan and fully resonate with the spirit of the Uzbek nation. The name of the order fully reflects the essence of the relationship between our countries. The friendship between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan is an invaluable asset, and we carefully preserve and strengthen it for the well-being of our brotherly peoples. I am confident that thanks to our joint and persistent efforts, the Kazakh–Uzbek strategic partnership and alliance will continue to gain new substance. The great Abai and Navoi, each in his own way, praised the idea of friendship and left us a priceless message: trust brings nations closer, and mutual respect makes them stronger. Guided by these teachings, we place special importance on strengthening our friendly alliance with Uzbekistan,’’ Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said.

It is worth noting that yesterday, on November 14, at the invitation of the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, arrived in Tashkent on a state visit. He became the first foreign head of state to land at the new ’’Tashkent–Humo’’ airport. An official welcoming ceremony was held there for Tokayev, and the heads of state met. Today, on November 15, at the Kuksaroy residence, Presidents Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a restricted-format meeting. The leaders also participated in the launch of joint projects via videoconference.