Another $10 million worth of assets, criminally acquired by the daughter of the late president Islam karimov, Gulnara Karimova, have been returned to Uzbekistan from France, Sevara Urinbayeva, press secretary of the Ministry of Justice, said.
Reportedly, the Uzbek authorities had been actively working with the authorities of Switzerland, the United States, France, the Russian Federation and other countries to return assets obtained as a result of criminal activity by Gulnara Karimova and her accomplices.
On February 11, Switzerland and Uzbekistan held a round of negotiations during which delegations agreed in principle to set up a new United Nations Multilateral Trust Fund.
“The fund will work to return assets that were finally confiscated as part of the criminal proceedings against Gulnara Karimova. It will also serve as a mechanism for the restitution of any additional assets that may be permanently confiscated in the future as part of the ongoing criminal proceedings in Switzerland.
Currently, about $131 million is pending to be returned, the Ministry of Justice underscored.
The fund management will include representatives from Switzerland, Uzbekistan and the UN. Thus, Switzerland and Uzbekistan will be involved in the entire restitution process. “The Fund will contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in Uzbekistan. It will allocate resources to projects in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for Uzbekistan (UNSDCF),” the statement said.
“These projects will be implemented by the UN system organizations participating in the fund in cooperation with various implementing partners. All projects will be monitored in accordance with the Fund's monitoring and evaluation system based on the rules and regulations of the UN system. Civil society organizations will play an advisory role.
The Fund will begin its activities after the signing of a legally binding restitution agreement between Switzerland and Uzbekistan.
Elsewhere, the Moscow court recognized the sentences of the Uzbek courts against Gulnara Karimova and her accomplices. Now the confiscated property is planned to be sold and the proceeds to be returned to Uzbekistan.
“The returned funds will be used in the social area to improve the welfare of the population,” the statement says.
In May 2020, the assets of Gulnara Karimova worth $10 million were already returned to Uzbekistan from France.
