Uzbekistan and Belarus to Launch New Industrial Cooperation Projects

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan Laziz Kudratov conducted a working visit to Minsk on June 29. The main goal of the visit was to strengthen the bilateral economic dialogue and identify new directions for expanding industrial cooperation between the two states.

Following the negotiations, the parties reached agreements on the implementation of joint investment projects designed to ensure capital inflows, the transfer of modern technologies, and the creation of new jobs in Uzbekistan.

As part of the visit, the head of the Uzbekistani ministry held talks with the Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus, Yuri Shuleiko. The participants of the meeting noted the steady dynamics of mutual trade, the volume of which reached US$965 million by the end of last year.

To date, 250 enterprises established with the participation of Belarusian capital operate in Uzbekistan, while 110 companies with Uzbek investments function in Belarus. During the dialogue, the sides discussed in detail the preparation of a joint Roadmap for the development of cooperation, as well as the organizational aspects of holding the third Interregional Forum (Forum of Regions), scheduled to take place in Minsk from July 6 to 8. Special attention was paid by officials to the prospects of creating livestock clusters in Belarus and increasing cooperation in the light, food, furniture, chemical, and construction materials manufacturing industries.

The meetings also served as an essential milestone in finalizing organizational and substantive preparations for the upcoming official visit of the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, to Minsk.

The program of Laziz Kudratov’s visit continued with meetings with the heads of major Belarusian companies. In the pharmaceutical sector, the parties considered opportunities for localizing the production of medicines and establishing specialized scientific and production clusters within Uzbekistan. In the food industry segment, the minister discussed the launch of projects for the production of dairy goods, confectionery, and baby food with partners.

Furthermore, following negotiations with representatives of the garment and woodworking sectors, concrete plans were outlined to organize the joint production of clothing, furniture, polymer products, and other highly demanded types of goods.