On 16 November 2020г, The United Nations Development Programme together with the Association of Legal Clinics of Kyrgyzstan held an international online round table on the topic "The role of international cooperation of legal clinics in the development of higher legal education and protection of human rights". The virtual event was attended by representatives of the Tashkent State University of Law, the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Ombudsman Institute of the Kyrgyz Republic, and heads of legal clinics in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

The main purpose of the meeting was achieving of establishing cooperation with legal clinics of the two countries, as well as exchange information and discuss the possibility of implementing a number of joint activities under the Agreement between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic on mutual legal assistance.

“Interaction and cooperation of clinics in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan provides an opportunity to exchange experience, develop common ideas, as well as expand the activities of clinics to provide legal assistance to citizens. In addition, this makes it possible to expand the range of recipients of legal assistance to foreign citizens and improve the quality and duration of assistance provided, including mutual consultations in accordance with the legislation of the states,” -

Bakirov Artur, director of the Association of Legal Clinics of Kyrgyzstan.

Over the past two years, bilateral relations between the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Uzbekistan have significantly improved and friendly relations between the youth of the neighboring countries leads this process. As was stated by the head of the International Law department and director of the legal clinic of the Tashkent State University of Law, Otabek Narziev, the countries strive to encourage the youth of the two countries to welcome sharing experience, language, culture, national history and literature.

“The Agreement between the Governments of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic on cooperation in the field of higher education, signed on 5 September 2017, provides opportunities for the promotion of mutual exchange of students, teachers and scientific delegations to strengthen and further develop bilateral cooperation in the field of science and education". - said Narziev O.

As a result of the virtual round table, representatives of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan expressed their intention to further develop cooperation with legal clinics, to conduct regular exchange of information and experience. In addition, contacts were established for the possibility of implementing a number of joint activities among young people. This international round table was initiated by the UN Development Program in cooperation with the expert team of the Association of Legal Clinics of Kyrgyzstan within the framework of the project "Promoting Kyrgyzstan's Youth Cohesion and Interaction towards Uzbekistan", funded by the UN Peacebuilding Fund and implemented by UN agencies in Kyrgyzstan (UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA). The project is aimed at increasing social cohesion in border areas and supporting the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic in implementing plans for cooperation between the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Uzbekistan.