POSTPONED – Uzbekistan’s Referendum on the Constitutional Amendments

The Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan has the pleasure of inviting you to an in-person conference it is organising in collaboration with the European Institute for Asian Studies to discuss Uzbekistan’s Referendum on the Constitutional Amendments of 30 April 2023. The conference is scheduled to take place on 1 June 2023, from 16:00 to 18:00 at the Steigenberger Icon WiIltcher’s Hotel in Brussels, Avenue Louise 71, 1050 Brussels. The discussion will shed light on the referendum and its outcome, the implementation of the constitutional reforms, as well as the future of Uzbekistan’s constitutional framework and the country’s relations with the EU. 

Date: 1 June 2023 (POSTPONED)
Time: 16:00 – 18:00 followed by a networking reception
Registration: 15:30 – 16:00
Venue: Steigenberger Icon Wiltcher’s Hotel Brussels

The referendum heralds significant changes in the constitutional framework, as it asserts 65% of the text of the existing constitution to be altered, as well as the introduction of 27 new articles and 159 new provisions. A notable proposed change involves the length of the presidential term, which ought to be extended from five to seven years and allow President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to run for two more seven-year terms. Other amendments include civil society, the media and human rights. The proposed amendments were already backed by 134 out of 137 members of the parliament’s lower house. Under Mirzoyev Uzbekistan has benefitted from a modernisation process, economic liberalisation and a greater international presence, which has enabled stronger partnerships to be developed with external partners including the EU. As a result, this conference will address how the outcome of the referendum and proposed constitutional amendments will impact Uzbekistan’s constitutional framework, which other reforms will be on the table and what lies ahead for EU-Uzbekistan relations and regional cooperation. 

Programme

15:30 – 16:00 Registration

16:00 – 18:00 Panel Discussion followed by an Interactive Q&A session with the audience 

18:00 – 19:30 Networking Reception with walking dinner

*Speakers and a more detailed programme of the conference will be announced in due course

 Photo credits: Flickr