Uzbeks in trouble abroad to get help through the Online Mahalla platform
At a 2 November meeting the president put special focus on protecting the rights of citizens abroad: those in difficulty can leave a message on the Online Mahalla platform, and ambassadors will personally take up the case when needed; the system launches within 10 days.
On 2 November, at a meeting on labour migration, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev gave special attention to protecting the rights of citizens working abroad. According to the Head of State, a citizen in difficulty will no longer need to search for an ambassador or consul to request help.
Help through Online Mahalla
A citizen in difficulty will be able to leave a message on the Online Mahalla platform. When necessary, the ambassador will personally contact the citizen to protect their rights and help resolve the problem. The president instructed that the system be launched within 10 days and that proposals for its effective operation be submitted. Regional governors were tasked with supporting the families, parents and children of citizens working abroad.
The numbers
Today 168 million people are in international labour migration. Although the number of Uzbeks working abroad has halved over the past decade, the money they send home has quadrupled. Yet regional gaps are wide: the average monthly remittance per person working abroad is $1,850 in Fergana region but under $400 in some regions.
Employment for returnees
The meeting also addressed employment for those returning from labour migration. Since the start of the year 1,116,000 people have come home; among them are specialists who gained experience abroad in industry, construction, logistics and services. Governors and sector heads were told to use their potential and offer them decent jobs.
Official statement
Not a single compatriot working abroad should be left alone with their problems.
— Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Uzbekistan
