Mirziyoyev receives birthday congratulations from European leaders

On July 24, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev celebrated his 68th birthday. Warm congratulations continue to pour in from around the world, including from several European leaders.

Among them, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni sent a personal congratulatory message, expressing her appreciation for the hospitality extended during her recent official visit to Uzbekistan.

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you for the warm welcome extended to me and the delegation I led during my recent visit to Uzbekistan. I was especially pleased to see firsthand the beauty of Samarkand, a city rich in history and a symbol of millennia-old culture,” her message read.

Meloni emphasized her satisfaction with the constructive discussions held during the visit and the progress made in advancing bilateral relations. She highlighted the growing scope of the partnership and the importance of the signed agreements between the two countries.

“In this regard, I am pleased that practical work has begun on all the issues discussed, including the establishment of a Strategic Dialogue and a Joint Commission, as well as cooperation in key areas such as culture, vocational training, and agriculture,” she added.

The Italian Prime Minister expressed her readiness to continue working toward the successful implementation of these projects and reiterated her interest in deepening ties with Uzbekistan. She also extended support for regional cooperation efforts and thanked Mirziyoyev for participating in the first “1+5” format summit.

“In the hope of meeting again soon, I would like to take this opportunity to offer my warmest wishes and congratulations on your birthday,” Meloni concluded.

President of the European Council António Costa also extended his congratulations, thanking Mirziyoyev for his key role in ensuring the success of the first EU–Central Asia Summit held in Samarkand.

“This important summit, together with the International Climate Forum, opened a new and significant chapter in the strategic partnership between the European Union and Central Asia, as well as in our bilateral relations with Uzbekistan,” Costa stated.

He praised the hospitality shown during the summit and highlighted the progress made under the EU’s “Global Gateway” strategy, including cooperation in innovation, green energy, digitalization, transport, agriculture, and other key sectors.

“I look forward to welcoming you in Brussels to sign the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, which will mark another milestone in our growing partnership,” he added.

Costa also expressed gratitude for Uzbekistan’s efforts in promoting climate goals and regional dialogue, and he acknowledged the letter of congratulations sent to him by Mirziyoyev on his own birthday.

In addition to Meloni and Costa, numerous other world leaders and officials sent birthday greetings to President Mirziyoyev, including:

•  Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation
•  Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China
•  Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
•  Sadyr Japarov, President of the Kyrgyz Republic
•  Emomali Rahmon, President of the Republic of Tajikistan
•  Serdar Berdimuhamedov, President of Turkmenistan
•  Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, Chairman of the People's Council of Turkmenistan
•  Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
•  Alexander Lukashenko, President of the Republic of Belarus
•  Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Turkey
•  Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt
•  Lee Jae-myung, President of the Republic of Korea
•  Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, President of Mongolia
•  Sergio Mattarella, President of Italy
•  Nataša Pirc Musar, President of the Republic of Slovenia
•  Aleksandar Vučić, President of the Republic of Serbia
•  Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE
•  Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of the UAE
•  Nursultan Nazarbayev, First President of Kazakhstan
•  Valentina Matviyenko, Speaker of the Federation Council of Russia
•  Mikhail Mishustin, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation
•  Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia
•  Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of Armenia
•  Nurlan Yermekbayev, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
•  Kubanychbek Omuraliev, Secretary-General of the Organization of Turkic States
•  Sergey Lebedev, Secretary-General of the CIS
•  Asad Khan, Secretary-General of the Economic Cooperation Organization
•  Bakytzhan Sagintayev, Chairman of the Eurasian Economic Commission
•  Odile Renaud-Basso, President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
•  Dilma Rousseff, President of the New Development Bank
•  Nikolai Podguzov, Chairman of the Eurasian Development Bank
•  Chen Huayu, Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of China
•  Zhu Jun, Chairman of the Silk Road Fund
•  Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia
•  Allahshukur Pashazadeh, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office
•  Marius Vizer, President of the International Judo Federation
•  Thierry Mariani, Member of the European Parliament (France)
•  Trent Kelly and Carol Miller, Members of the U.S. Congress
•  Rustam Minnikhanov, President of the Republic of Tatarstan
•  Alexander Beglov, Governor of St. Petersburg
•  Carolyn Lamm, Chairperson of the American-Uzbek Chamber of Commerce

For reference, the first "Central Asia – European Union" summit was held in Samarkand on April 4 under the chairmanship of President Mirziyoyev. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni paid an official visit to Uzbekistan on May 28–29.