On 22 May 2026, a working meeting with a delegation of the Australian Embassy in Moscow was held at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy. The Australian delegation included H.E. John William Geering, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Australia, Second Secretary Natasha Tioukavkin and Research Officer Natalia Chudinovskikh.

During the meeting, Ambassador Geering emphasised Australia’s interest in further developing relations with the countries of Central Asia, noting the importance of regional stability, security and sustainable development. The discussion also touched upon prospects for strengthening cooperation between Australian and Uzbek universities, as well as analytical and research institutions. The parties exchanged views on the institutional role, areas of activity and potential cooperation formats involving UWED and IAIS.

A significant part of the dialogue was devoted to the situation in Afghanistan and Uzbekistan’s practical approach to engagement with the country. The Australian side expressed interest in better understanding how Uzbek official and expert circles assess developments in Afghanistan, including factors behind the growth of bilateral trade, regional infrastructure projects, border cooperation and transport-logistics opportunities.

The meeting also covered issues of regional connectivity, the Middle Corridor, China’s role in infrastructure and economic processes in Central Asia, as well as migration trends and their impact on Uzbekistan’s labour market. Following the meeting, the parties confirmed their interest in further developing expert and academic dialogue between UWED, IAIS and Australian partners, including through contacts with Australian universities and research centres and continued discussions on Afghanistan, regional security, transport connectivity and Australia’s cooperation with Central Asia.