Uzbekistan's Deputy PM Meets Anadolu Group on Auto, Investment Plans

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Jamshed Kuchkarov held formal talks with Bora Koçak, President of Turkish conglomerate Anadolu Group, in Tashkent on June 12, as both sides sought to move bilateral economic engagement from political commitment to commercial reality.

The meeting drew a heavyweight delegation. Neshet Fatih Vural, Director General of the Samarkand Automobile Plant joint venture, Acting Deputy Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade Akrom Aliev, and Sohibjon Murodov, Head of the State Assets Management Agency, all participated alongside other senior officials — a lineup that signals the strategic weight Tashkent attaches to the Anadolu relationship.

Anadolu Group, one of Turkey's largest diversified conglomerates with holdings spanning automotive, retail, energy, and agriculture, already has an operational presence in Uzbekistan through the Samarkand plant. The central question at the table was how to make that presence more productive.

Discussions focused on three interconnected priorities: scaling up production volumes, diversifying the vehicle models manufactured at the facility, and deepening localization — increasing the share of components sourced and produced within Uzbekistan. Both sides agreed that broad industrial cooperation is strategically essential for raising the proportion of high-value-added goods in Uzbekistan's automotive output, a key ambition as the country works to move up the manufacturing value chain.

Beyond the factory floor, the talks ventured into macroeconomic territory. Officials and the Turkish conglomerate's representatives discussed systematic expansion of private capital in the Uzbek economy through transparent privatization processes — an area where Tashkent has sought credible foreign partners to lend confidence to reform efforts.

The two sides also explored integration of advanced management practices, technology transfer, and potential joint ventures in new sectors. Both parties confirmed their readiness to maintain regular dialogue to ensure swift implementation of the plans discussed.