Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan

The event brought together high-ranking representatives for sanitary and epidemiological surveillance from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, the Asian Development Bank, the International Organization for Migration, as well as relevant national agencies and cross-border experts from both states. The purpose of the meeting was to build a common understanding of the project's objectives, its implementation approaches, and the roles of key stakeholders.

Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are linked by many years of good-neighborly relations, a shared border extending over 1,330 kilometers, and a high level of cross-border population mobility. The current visa-free regime promotes the development of trade, transport links, and people-to-people contacts, while simultaneously highlighting the need to strengthen cooperation in public health and prevent the spread of infectious diseases across borders. This project primarily focuses on cooperation between the PoE "Oybek" (Bekabad district, Tashkent region, Uzbekistan) and the PoE "Fotehobod" (Mastchoh district, Sughd region, Tajikistan).

Botirjon Kurbanov, Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare and Public Health under the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan, noted the importance of border territories for regional health security: "The strategic location of the 'Oybek' and 'Fotehobod' points of entry along the Tashkent–Khujand route makes them key hubs for ensuring the safe and orderly movement of people and cargo, and highlights the need to continuously strengthen sanitary and epidemiological control and coordination between the competent authorities of the two countries."

Abdukholik Amirzoda, Deputy Minister of Health and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Tajikistan, noted that the launch of the project is particularly relevant in modern conditions where infectious diseases, epidemics, and other public health threats do not recognize state borders: "Effective prevention and response to such challenges require timely information exchange, coordinated actions by relevant services, and close interstate interaction."

Arthur Erken, IOM Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, emphasized the organization's unique contribution to the project's implementation: "We bring to this project not only technical expertise but also operational flexibility: the ability to connect policy with practical implementation, data with decision-making processes, and national systems with the reality of population mobility on the ground."

Sofia Shakil, Director of the Human and Social Development Sector Office at ADB, emphasized that the project will ensure the creation of an intersectoral working group, the development of mechanisms for cross-border information exchange, the strengthening of epidemiological surveillance systems, and the formation of an evidence base regarding the health needs of border communities and mobile population groups.

The implementation of the project will also contribute to achieving the goals of the CAREC regional cooperation, improving the health of populations in border areas, and creating more effective mechanisms to protect human health amid growing population mobility in Central Asia.