On 5–10 May 2023, a SCO observer mission (22 people in total) led by SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming monitored the early presidential election in Uzbekistan at the invitation of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The mission visited over 11 polling stations in Tashkent; assessed the election preparations, the voting process and voter turnout, among other things; and talked with polling station staff, the electorate and observers. Zhang Ming met with Central Election Commission Chairman Zaindillin Nizamkhojayev.
On 10 July, the SCO Secretary-General read out the mission’s final statement at a news conference. The statement notes that an unbiased assessment of the presidential election in Uzbekistan shows its openness, transparency and compliance with national legislation.
During the mission, Zhang Ming also gave a number of interviews to representatives of numerous media outlets of the SCO member states.