Belarusian, Uzbek Experts Identify Areas for Cooperation

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — An international roundtable titled "Belarus and Uzbekistan: New Vectors of Interaction" took place in Minsk on 29 June 2026. The event was organized by the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Research (BISR) and the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (ISRS).

The meeting was attended by the heads of the diplomatic missions of Uzbekistan and Belarus, representatives of ministries, departments, state enterprises, and the expert community.

The Belarusian delegation included the Minister of Economy, along with management and specialists from state enterprises including the National Center for Marketing and Price Study, Beltamozhservice, International Business Alliance, the National Research Institute of Transport "Transtechnica," and the foreign enterprise IBA IT Park.

The Uzbek delegation comprised the leadership and staff of ISRS, the Institute of Macroeconomic and Regional Studies under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Center for Studying Problems of Transport and Logistics Development under the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and the Agency for Strategic Development and Reforms under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Participants reviewed the current state and prospects of Uzbek-Belarusian cooperation, focusing on mutual trade, industrial and agro-industrial cooperation, transport and logistics links, and the utilization of new technologies. Particular attention was paid to finding practical mechanisms to expand bilateral interaction and implement joint initiatives of mutual interest.

Opening the roundtable, BISR Director Oleg Makarov praised recent developments in Uzbekistan, noting that the country has intensified its foreign policy efforts and become a venue for numerous high-level events, strengthening its status as a regional actor. He stated that Belarus and Uzbekistan have built relations based on trust, openness, and respect, adding that virtually no barriers exist between the two nations.

Alexander Ogorodnikov, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Republic of Uzbekistan, confirmed that Belarusian-Uzbek relations are stable and progressive. He noted that a strategic partnership has effectively been formed, which is consistently being filled with new projects and initiatives.

The diplomat reported positive dynamics in trade and economic cooperation, expressing confidence that by the end of the current year, Belarus and Uzbekistan will exceed a mutual trade turnover of US$1 billion. He emphasized that the next strategic task should be to reach a US$2 billion trade turnover, and that both sides intend to seek new points of growth despite the ambition of this goal.

Ogorodnikov highlighted industrial and agro-industrial cooperation as promising areas, stating that the localization of Belarusian production facilities in Uzbekistan opens significant potential. Utilizing Uzbekistan's production capacities and expanding industrial ties will create a firm foundation for jointly entering the markets of third states.

The ambassador also addressed transport and logistics potential, specifying that the lack of direct access to the sea makes both Belarus and Uzbekistan interested in using effective transport corridors. He expressed confidence that under the transformation of global routes, modern logistics infrastructure can become a key factor in promoting economic partnership.

Belarusian Minister of Economy Yuri Chebotar noted that over the past 10 years, the volume of trade turnover between the countries has grown more than 13 times, and trade in services has increased more than 30 times. He stated that Uzbekistan ranks third in terms of mutual trade with Belarus in both goods and services, and second in the volume of accumulated Belarusian investments among Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries.

The minister placed special emphasis on industrial cooperation, stating that Belarus is ready to invest in joint projects, including those ensuring a full transfer of technology and the creation of modern jobs. Chebotar also indicated Belarusian interest in developing ties in technology, production automation, tourism, and services.

Participants expressed mutual interest in further deepening cooperation and noted the importance of maintaining a regular dialogue among experts to prepare practical recommendations to strengthen relations between Uzbekistan and Belarus.