Accepting the credentials of the permanent representative, the OIC Secretary General congratulated him on assuming the office and wished him success in carrying out his responsible mission.
The current state and prospects of cooperation between Uzbekistan and OIC were discussed during the meeting. The sides also expressed mutual interest in intensifying interaction in such important areas as education, support for youth and innovations.
The OIC Secretary General noted Uzbekistan's significant contribution to the development of Islamic civilization, science and culture, stressing that the country has historically been the center of scientific discoveries, philosophical thought and spiritual heritage of the Islamic world. It was also emphasized that today Uzbekistan continues to play an important role in strengthening the unity of the Islamic Ummah, promoting initiatives aimed at sustainable development, education and preservation of cultural heritage, which makes it one of the key partners in implementing the goals of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
It is worth recalling that Nodirjon Turgunov arrived in Riyadh in March 2024 as the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Saudi Arabia.
He served as Consul General in the city of Jeddah from 2021 to 2024.
He has been in the system of the MFA since 2016. He worked in various positions in the Consular and Legal Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2019-2021 he served as Consul General of Uzbekistan in the city of Aktau (Kazakhstan), in 2021-2024 - in the city of Jeddah (Saudi Arabia).
He speaks Arabic and Russian.
Nodirjon Turgunov replaced Ulugbek Maksudov, who served from 2018-2024 as the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Saudi Arabia and permanent representative to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, headquartered in the city of Jeddah.
Pakistan’s electronic publication “Network News Pakistan” published an article entitled “Central Asia Emerges as World’s Fastest-Growing Tourism Region in 2025, Uzbekistan Leads: WTTC”, reports Dunyo IA.
Article notes that, according to the “Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research 2026” conducted by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), Central Asia became the world’s fastest-growing tourism region in 2025.
“WTTC conducts its research by dividing the world into 13 major regions. Based on the results for 2025, Central Asia ranked first in the world across a number of key tourism performance indicators. At the same time, Uzbekistan emerged as the leader among the Central Asian countries across all these indicators”, publication states.
Publication notes that in 2025, the total contribution of travel and tourism to Central Asia’s gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 17.7%, while the sector’s direct contribution to GDP grew by 19.6%. Visitor exports in the region increased by 26.4% over the year, reaching $9.9 billion.
Nearly half of the region’s total visitor exports came from Uzbekistan. In particular, Uzbekistan generated $4.8 billion in tourism exports in 2025. According to WTTC data, in 2025, Uzbekistan was the most popular travel destination for residents of Central Asia.
“Overall, these figures confirm the regional nature of tourism: residents of Central Asia travel within their own region more frequently than anywhere else”, article states.
Citing a WTTC forecast, Network News Pakistan also reports that by 2036, the total contribution of the travel and tourism sector to Central Asia’s economy will reach $29.7 billion.