Ilhomjon Nematov

Ilhomjon Nematov trained as a civil engineer at Fergana Polytechnic Institute and spent much of his early career managing construction and working in regional administration. He studied at the Soviet Diplomatic Academy from 1989 to 1992, then joined independent Uzbekistan's foreign ministry. Consular work and a posting in Germany preceded his first ambassadorship, in India from 1997 to 1999. ¹

Nematov later served as deputy and first deputy foreign minister, as Uzbekistan's national coordinator at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and as ambassador in Russia. His Washington mission, beginning in 2010, also covered Canada and Brazil. In a 2012 interview, he described commercial opportunities and promoted Uzbekistan's historic cities to prospective visitors. ^{1, 2}

At the end of his American service, Representative Eni Faleomavaega entered a tribute in the Congressional Record describing their work together. He emphasized cooperation concerning Afghanistan while noting that the relationship also encompassed economic, civil, and political issues. ³

After Washington, Nematov served as an ambassador-at-large, advised GM Uzbekistan, and returned to senior foreign ministry office. He moved to the Commonwealth of Independent States executive leadership in 2021 and became deputy secretary-general under the institution's revised title in 2023. ¹