Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan Discuss Cooperation in Peaceful Nuclear Energy and Jizzakh Nuclear Power Plant Project

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 18 February, a working meeting took place in Tashkent between Azim Akhmedkhadzhayev, Director of the Uzatom Agency, and Beybut Atamkulov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan.

During the talks, the parties conducted a constructive exchange of views on key areas of Kazakh-Uzbek cooperation in peaceful nuclear energy, including the implementation of the nuclear power plant project in Jizzakh region, as well as issues of nuclear and environmental safety in the region.

The Kazakh side highly appreciated Uzbekistan’s accession to the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage, which came into force on 7 February 2026, noting that this provides important legal guarantees for neighboring countries and confirms Tashkent’s commitment to international safety standards.

The discussion also covered prospects for joint work in personnel training, scientific research, radioecological monitoring, information exchange on environmental and water-related matters, as well as mechanisms for rapid notification and response to potential emergencies.

Both sides emphasized the importance of establishing a permanent working communication channel between the relevant agencies of the two countries and expressed mutual interest in developing cooperation within the framework of a regional nuclear energy center of competence, including potential joint educational programs, internships, and expert consultations.

An agreement was reached to continue the dialogue, including through a planned working visit of representatives of the Kazakh Atomic Energy Agency to Uzatom in the third–fourth quarter of 2026.

Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of openness, transparency, and mutual trust in the interests of strengthening regional energy security and sustainable development.