Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan Expand Industrial Cooperation

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — An Uzbek-Kyrgyz business forum focused on industrial cooperation, investment, and trade took place in Bishkek on July 28. Following the event, the two sides signed a cooperation plan for 2026–2028 alongside a series of agreements across key economic sectors.

The forum was attended by Erlist Akunbekov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry of Kyrgyzstan; Ravshanbek Sabirov, Head of the National Investment Agency under the President of Kyrgyzstan; Laziz Kudratov, Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan; and Bakyt Sydykov, Minister of Economy and Commerce of Kyrgyzstan. Representatives from relevant government agencies, development institutions, and companies from both countries also participated.

The forum brought together 115 representatives from Uzbek businesses and 95 Kyrgyz entrepreneurs. Participants discussed expanding trade ties, implementing investment projects, and establishing new manufacturing supply chains.

Over the past decade, trade turnover between the two countries grew more than sevenfold, reaching US$1.2 billion. In January–June 2026, bilateral trade increased 1.5-fold year-on-year to US$625 million. Forum participants noted that maintaining this growth trajectory will allow the two nations to reach their target of US$2 billion in annual trade as early as 2027.

Special attention was given to investment cooperation and industrial partnerships. Around 450 enterprises with mutual capital participation operate in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, with joint projects underway in automotive manufacturing, textiles, healthcare, agriculture, and other fields.

The Uzbek-Kyrgyz Development Fund remains a key tool supporting joint projects, currently backing 28 initiatives across transport and logistics, light industry, construction materials manufacturing, energy, and financial services.

The two sides highlighted agro-industrial cooperation, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and electrical engineering as priority areas. In agriculture, plans focus on seed production, potato and rice cultivation, livestock farming, and intensive horticulture.

In the textile sector, the countries intend to expand cooperation in processing wool and leather as well as manufacturing finished goods. In pharmaceuticals, discussions centered on combining production capabilities to expand medicine offerings and access external markets. In the electrical engineering industry, focus was placed on localizing components, forming joint ventures, and promoting products to third-country markets.

As part of the business agenda, entrepreneurs held targeted negotiations on projects in agriculture, food processing, textiles, construction materials, furniture manufacturing, electrical engineering, pharmaceuticals, energy, mining, logistics, tourism, finance, and trade.

The two nations also agreed to maintain direct interregional contacts and hold the first joint Uzbek-Kyrgyz Regional Forum in Uzbekistan before the end of 2026.

The meeting concluded with the signing of an Action Plan to develop cooperation between the Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan and the National Investment Agency under the President of Kyrgyzstan for 2026–2028.

Additionally, the parties exchanged agreements regarding the promotion of electrical engineering products, seed production, agricultural science, energy, healthcare, hydraulic engineering construction, and the development of industrial zones.