Uzbekistan, Belarus prepare new stage of economic cooperation

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjayev held a meeting with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Uzbekistan Aleksandr Ogorodnikov to discuss preparations for an upcoming visit by the President of Uzbekistan to Belarus, alongside key issues of bilateral economic cooperation.

During the talks, special attention was paid to the development of trade and economic ties. According to Khodjayev, while mutual trade volume did not reach US$100 million a few years ago, bilateral trade turnover approached US$1 billion by the end of last year. In January–May of this year, this indicator increased by nearly 30% to reach US$425.3 million.

The two sides noted that the next stage will involve drafting an action plan for the development of cooperation for 2026–2030, which is designed to ensure the further expansion of bilateral interaction.

The development of industrial cooperation formed another topic of the meeting. Currently, 250 enterprises with Belarusian capital operate in Uzbekistan, while 110 enterprises with Uzbek capital carry out activities in Belarus. Joint projects are being implemented in mechanical engineering, agricultural machinery manufacturing, cable and wire products, pharmaceuticals, the food industry, and other industrial sectors.

Meeting participants also discussed preparations for the Third Forum of Regions of Uzbekistan and Belarus, which will take place in Minsk. They noted that the development of interregional cooperation should facilitate not only the signing of new agreements but also the launch of joint investment projects, the conclusion of commercial contracts, and the strengthening of direct ties between the business communities of the two countries.