New milestone in Uzbekistan's diplomacy: Credentials were presented to Czech and Slovenian Presidents

On December 13, 2024, Uzbekistan’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Dilshod Akhatov, officially presented his credentials to Petr Pavel, the President of the Czech Republic. The event was reported by the Dunyo news agency.

During the meeting, President Petr Pavel described Uzbekistan as one of the Czech Republic’s key partners in the international arena. He highlighted Prague’s strong interest in deepening and expanding cooperation with Uzbekistan, emphasizing the importance of bilateral ties.

On the same day, Uzbekistan’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Slovenia, Oybek Shakhavdinov, presented his credentials to the President of Slovenia, Natasha Pirc Musar.

Dilshod Akhatov currently serves as Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Germany, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic on a reciprocal basis. He has extensive diplomatic experience, having previously held the role of Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Germany from 2010 to 2013. He also served as an ambassador-at-large to Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, and Spain. Later, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and, from 2020 to 2023, served as Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. On September 27, 2023, he was reappointed as Ambassador to Germany, further extending his responsibilities to Switzerland and the Czech Republic.

Oybek Shakhavdinov, a 46-year-old diplomat, has an extensive academic and professional background. He graduated from the University of Birmingham (United Kingdom), Tashkent State Law University (Master’s degree), and the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. Shakhavdinov began his career at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy in Tashkent before advancing through the diplomatic ranks. He served as a referent in the Department for Cooperation with European Countries of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and worked at Uzbekistan’s Embassy in Brussels.

Notably, Shakhavdinov was the first ambassador of Uzbekistan to Hungary (based in Budapest) and also served as the country's ambassador to Croatia, Montenegro, and Slovenia on a rotational basis. His appointment as Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Slovenia marks a significant step in strengthening diplomatic ties between the two nations.