Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — A delegation from Uzbekistan’s Tashkent Region, led by regional governor Zoir Mirzayev, is on a working visit to Belarus to strengthen bilateral cooperation and expand trade and economic ties, the Tashkent Region administration reported.
At the start of the visit, Mirzayev met with Uzbek nationals working in Belarus. They discussed working conditions, their plans and issues of concern. The delegation also reviewed investment projects being implemented in Belarus by Uzbek entrepreneurs.
The delegation then visited the Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ), where it learned about the company’s production processes. During talks with the plant’s management, led by Director General Valery Ivankovich, the sides discussed industrial cooperation, localising the production of specialised vehicles, renewing public transport fleets and implementing joint investment projects.
Mirzayev highlighted MAZ’s operations in the Uzbek market and proposed expanding cooperation through new manufacturing projects in Tashkent Region and the use of existing industrial facilities.
According to the regional administration, the Nurafshon Makhsus Tekhnika enterprise in Nurafshon could be used to assemble municipal and specialised vehicles on MAZ chassis. Potential areas for localisation include garbage trucks, tankers and truck-mounted cranes.
Another proposed area of cooperation is the renewal of public transport and freight vehicle fleets in cities across the region. The Uzbek side suggested considering bus and truck supplies through instalment plans extending over several years or through leasing arrangements, depending on regional needs. The regional administration said this approach could enable the gradual modernisation of transport infrastructure while reducing the financial burden on transport companies.
The sides also discussed establishing a service centre for MAZ vehicles and a spare parts warehouse in Tashkent Region.
Other proposals included producing vehicle frame components and various metal products at local enterprises, as well as training technical specialists, exchanging engineering expertise and upgrading workforce skills.
Mirzayev said cooperation with MAZ was important for diversifying the region’s industry, increasing local production, attracting investment and expanding output of higher-value-added goods.
MAZ is one of Belarus’s major industrial enterprises, producing heavy trucks, buses, trolleybuses, municipal and specialised vehicles. Its product range also includes chassis for specialised equipment, modern buses and electric transport.
During the visit, Mirzayev also met with Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Karankevich, who oversees industry, energy, forestry and science in the government.
Karankevich welcomed the Tashkent Region delegation. The sides said the friendly and trusting relations between the leaders of the two countries were important for expanding mutually beneficial cooperation, strengthening economic ties between regions and implementing joint projects.
The talks focused on expanding industrial cooperation in line with Tashkent Region’s economic potential and establishing closer ties between manufacturing enterprises. The sides also discussed attracting investment and exchanging experience.
They emphasised the importance of developing cooperation in mutually beneficial areas, making effective use of existing opportunities and translating new initiatives into practical results.
