Uzbekistan and Croatia Approve Two-Year Foreign Ministry Cooperation Program

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The head of the foreign policy agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Bakhtiyor Saidov, has held official negotiations with his Croatian counterpart, the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia, Gordan Grlić-Radman.

The meeting between the foreign ministers took place as part of an official visit by the Uzbekistan delegation to Zagreb, organized at the invitation of the Croatian side. The negotiations, held in both narrow and expanded formats, were entirely dedicated to building a long-term strategic dialogue and diversifying the directions of bilateral interaction.

The main outcome of the official meeting was the signing of the Cooperation Program between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, covering the 2027–2028 period. This foundational document is designed to lay a solid basis for the systematic and consistent strengthening of practical ties between the apparatuses of the foreign ministries of the two countries, as well as to ensure the regularity of interstate contacts at various levels of state administration.

During a detailed discussion of the agenda, the ministers analyzed key prospects for expanding multi-faceted Uzbek-Croatian interaction. The diplomats focused priority attention on developing cooperation in the political, trade, economic, investment, transport, logistics, energy, and tourism spheres. To boost trade and economic indicators and stimulate direct contacts between entrepreneurs, the parties recognized the necessity of accelerating the processes for establishing a joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation.

As a separate block, the meeting participants highlighted institutional mechanisms to support interstate dialogue. The foreign ministers emphasized the importance of promptly launching a permanent format for regular political consultations between the ministries, which will allow for the swift coordination of positions on pressing international issues.

Furthermore, Saidov and Grlić-Radman agreed to conduct a comprehensive review and consistent strengthening of the bilateral legal framework to create the most favorable legal and economic conditions for the operation of Croatian capital in Uzbekistan and the development of joint logistical routes.