Vladimir Norov awarded in China

The former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan and former Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Vladimir Norov, has been awarded China’s ’’Friendship’’ award. He became the first Uzbek citizen to receive this honor. Norov announced the news on his LinkedIn page.

According to him, the award ceremony took place on September 30 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The ’’Friendship’’ award is the highest state honor granted by the Chinese government to foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to China’s modernization and international cooperation. This year, 50 distinguished specialists from 27 countries were recognized.

’’I am deeply honored to be among the recipients of this award. I am especially proud that, for the first time in history, a representative of Uzbekistan has been awarded this prestigious title. Whether in my diplomatic or academic work, I have always strived to strengthen mutual trust, dialogue, and cooperation between China, Central Asia, and the broader international community. Therefore, this award is not only a personal honor but also a symbol of our shared belief in the power of cultural and human connections,’’ Norov stated.

Vladimir Norov was born on August 31, 1955, in the Bukhara region. From 1972 to 1976, he studied at the Bukhara Pedagogical Institute. Between 1983 and 1985, he was a trainee at the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Soviet Union. Regarding his leadership positions, Norov headed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan twice, serving from April 27 to December 30, 2022. From January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2021, he served as Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Earlier, from May 5, 2017, to December 31, 2018, he was Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan and First Deputy Secretary of the Security Council under the President. From 1996 to 1998, he held the post of State Advisor to the President of Uzbekistan on intergovernmental relations and foreign economic affairs. In addition, Norov served as Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Belgium.

It was reported in June 2023 that Vladimir Norov had retired from his position as Director of the International Institute for Central Asia.