Uzbekistan – Belarus: New Prospects for Economic Cooperation

    On July 2, Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan S. Umurzakov received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus L. Marinich.

    The parties exchanged views on the current state of economic partnership between the two countries and the prospects for further cooperation in investment, trade, economic and transport, and logistics spheres.

    The parties noted the successful interaction and growing interest in cooperation between representatives of the Uzbek and Belarusian business communities, stressing the relevance of further work to increase the number of joint projects.

    They expressed their readiness to unite efforts to create high-tech enterprises aimed at increasing the localization of production and reducing the cost of finished products by establishing cooperative ties between Belarusian and Uzbek manufacturers, in particular, in the fields of animal husbandry, agriculture, and agricultural machinery.

    The high dynamics of the indicators of mutual trade were emphasized: based on the five months results of this year, the trade turnover between the two countries increased by 17 percent. Work will continue to facilitate the access of products of Uzbek and Belarusian manufacturers to the markets of the two countries.

    They also discussed issues of enhancing cooperation in the field of transport and transit. Practical measures have been outlined to attract advanced Belarusian experience in organizing international freight traffic.

    Following the meeting, an agreement was reached on the development of proposals to supplement the existing “Road Map” for the development of cooperation between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Belarus with new areas of mutually beneficial cooperation, investment projects, and trade contracts.