Uzbekistan Offers to Host UN Counterterrorism Office

Uzbekistan has offered to host a regional office of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), proposing a new security hub to address extremist threats, terrorist financing and the misuse of artificial intelligence across Central Asia.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced the initiative on November 6 during a meeting of Central Asian leaders in Astana, Kazakhstan, held under the Aqaba Process.

The summit brought together Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Jordan's King Abdullah II, alongside senior representatives from Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan.

According to the Uzbek presidential administration, the proposed UN office would help regional governments establish mechanisms for reporting terrorist content, detecting terrorist financing and training security specialists.

The initiative would also promote the use of artificial intelligence in counterterrorism operations.

Mirziyoyev warned that rapid advances in AI were creating new security challenges, particularly as extremist organizations increasingly exploit digital technologies.

The Uzbek leader also proposed an international program titled "Enlightenment Against Ignorance in the Digital Age," based at the Center for Islamic Civilization in Tashkent.

The program would develop multilingual educational resources, train religious leaders to operate in digital environments and support researchers promoting the humanistic values of Islam.

The Aqaba Process was launched by Jordan's King Abdullah II in 2015 to strengthen international cooperation against terrorism and violent extremism.

The Astana meeting marked the initiative's first gathering hosted in Central Asia.

Uzbekistan's proposal has not yet been formally approved by the United Nations, and no timetable for establishing the regional office has been announced.