Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 1 February 2021, within the framework of the visit of the government delegation of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the Republic of Uzbekistan, the 1st meeting of the Uzbek-Pakistani Joint Working Group on Trade and Economic Issues was held at the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade.

The meeting was attended by the heads of key ministries and departments of the two countries. The Pakistani side was headed by the Adviser to the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on Commerce, Textile Industry and Investment Abdul Razzak Davud, and the Uzbek side was headed by the Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan S. Umurzakov.

Within the framework of the negotiations, the sides discussed topical issues of bilateral cooperation, the implementation of the previously reached agreements, as well as the prospects for expanding the Uzbek-Pakistani partnership in the field of investment, trade, industrial cooperation, transport, education, health care and culture.

The parties noted significant opportunities for a multiple increase in the scale of investment and industrial cooperation. In this context, the possibilities of creating Uzbek-Pakistani industrial enterprises in various industries were substantively considered.

Prospects for increasing the volume of mutual trade and mechanisms for promoting products of Uzbek and Pakistani production were also discussed, in connection with which an agreement was reached to hold a joint Uzbek-Pakistani business forum in the near future.

Particular attention was paid to the practical aspects of the implementation of the project for the construction of the Mazar-i-Sharif - Kabul - Peshawar railway, which is of strategic importance for further strengthening bilateral economic ties and ensuring sustainable development of the countries of the Central Asian region.

During the discussion, the parties voiced their readiness to hold in the near future a meeting of the Uzbek-Pakistani Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic and Scientific and Technical Cooperation, as well as a meeting of the Uzbek-Pakistani Business Council.

As a result of the negotiations, an agreement was reached on accelerating the negotiation process on preparation for signing the Agreement on Preferential Trade and the Agreement on Mutual Recognition of Conformity Assessment between the standardization and quality control bodies of both countries.

The parties also agreed to develop a "Roadmap" for the further activities of the Working Group, which provides for specific mechanisms for practical interaction between the relevant ministries and departments of the two countries.