Uzbekistan officially opened a consulate general in Seattle, Washington, on September 4, marking the country's first consular presence in the U.S. Pacific Northwest.
"This is our country's first consular institution in the Pacific Northwest and an important step in further developing relations between Uzbekistan and the United States," said Komil Allamjonov, minister-counselor at the Uzbek embassy in Washington and a representative of the Presidential Administration in the U.S., in comments shared on Telegram.
Allamjonov said he was confident the new consulate general would help strengthen trade, economic, investment, technological, educational and social ties between the two countries.
The consulate general has been operating since March under the leadership of career diplomat Akhror Burkhanov, who previously served as press secretary for Uzbekistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Uzbekistan's ambassador to the United States, Furqat Sidiqov, who attended the opening ceremony, described the new mission as a fresh platform for deepening cooperation between the two nations.
"Seattle is a world leader in technology, innovation and industry. It's an ideal place for our future cooperation," Sidiqov said.
The Seattle consulate general — along with planned missions in Philadelphia, Chicago and Orlando — stems from a presidential decree issued last year establishing the American-Uzbek Business and Investment Council. Prior to these openings, Uzbekistan's only diplomatic presence in the U.S. consisted of its embassy in Washington, D.C., and a consulate general in New York.
According to official figures, more than 3,000 people of Uzbek origin live in Washington state, with most residing and working in Seattle and its surrounding suburbs.
