Bilateral Cooperation - The Times Of Central Asia

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Tajikistan and Italy Engage in Dialogue to Enhance Collaboration

On April 23, Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon and the President of the Council of Ministers of Italy Giorgia Meloni met in Rome to discuss expanding bilateral relations regarding political, economic, trade, cultural, humanitarian, and security issues. According to Tajikistan’s president’s press service, both sides expressed interest in expanding cooperation in the fields of hydropower, light, food, metallurgical, mining, and chemical industries, as well as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and tourism. Seeking to attract Italian capital for the development of his country’s industrial sector, President Rahmon emphasized that Tajikistan has all the necessary components for creating joint ventures in processing agricultural and industrial products and increasing their export to European countries. The leaders also discussed opening direct flights between Tajikistan and Italy, cooperation in education and healthcare, and the allocation of quotas for Tajik students wishing to study at Italian universities. As reported by the Italian prime minister’s office, the meeting resulted in the signing of several bilateral agreements aimed to strengthen Italy’s relationship with Central Asia through enhanced dialogue and collaboration in all sectors of common interest including security, drug control and tourism, as well as cultural, scientific and technological cooperation, and sustainable development.

Bilateral Cooperation Uzbekistan Tajikistan

Tajik Institute Hosts Conference on Furthering Cooperation With Uzbekistan

An international conference called Uzbekistan and Tajikistan: New Perspectives of Strategic Partnership and Alliance is being held in Dushanbe on April 12, in cooperation with the International Institute of Central Asia and the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, according to a report by UzA. According to this report, current relations between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan have reached a stage of rapid development. Mutually beneficial cooperation in the political, trade-economic spheres, and cultural-humanitarian connections are expanding. The amount of cross-border bilateral trade has increased more than threefold since 2017, and in the coming years is expected to reach $1 billion annually. The main goal of the ongoing conference is to discuss the prospects for further development of the bilateral partnership, as well as to develop practical proposals for expanding cooperation in the fields of trade and industry, transport, ecology and water use, agriculture, and education. Participants include representatives from the two country’s top research and analytical centers, and from ministries and agencies. Additionally, as part of the Uzbek delegation’s visit to Dushanbe, bilateral meetings are scheduled at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Institute of Economics and Demography of the Institute for the Study of the Problems of Asian and European Countries of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, and the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan.

Bilateral Cooperation Afghanistan Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Visits Afghanistan to Boost Economic Ties

On March 12th, a delegation led by Uzbekistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov visited Kabul to attend a meeting with officials of Afghanistan’s interim government: Acting Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi, Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, and Acting Minister of Commerce and Industry Nooruddin Azizi. According to the Uzbek Foreign Ministry, discussions focused on boosting economic ties and creating more favourable conditions for both countries’ business sectors. In a broadcast by Afghan TOLOnews, the Afghan government stated that in addition to economic cooperation, regional connectivity and transit through Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, the meeting covered the opening of an Afghan embassy in Uzbekistan. Attention was also paid to the Uzbek delegation’s interest in investment in a cement factory, coal mining, and a project to produce 200 megawatts of electricity from coal in Afghanistan. Referencing the Afghan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, TOLOnews reported on a statement by Uzbekistan’s minister of water resources. Having outlined his country’s experience in manufacturing equipment for the construction of dams and canals, as well as water management at a regional level, the minister declared Uzbekistan’s readiness to cooperate with Afghanistan in these fields. The issue of transboundary water use had come to the fore last month following Afghanistan’s announcement that construction has begun on the second phase of the Qosh Tepa Canal.

Bilateral Cooperation

President Mirziyoyev Meets Xi Jinping on State Visit to China

Late on Tuesday night, the President of Uzbekistan’s press service reported that the head of state's plane had landed at Shoudou International Airport, where he was greeted by China's Minister of Culture and Tourism, Sun Yeli and other officials. The president's state visit started on Wednesday with a meeting with the Premier of the State Council, Li Qiang, wherein they discussed the expansion of economic interaction, participation of Chinese companies in privatization in Uzbekistan, increasing the number of flights, and other issues. Many important points were raised at the meeting, such as the 50% increase in trade turnover between China and Uzbekistan over the past year, reaching $14 billion, and the volume of Chinese investment in the Uzbek economy exceeding this same figure. The two parties set their sights on making this figure reach $20 billion. As planned within the framework of the state visit, Mirziyoyev also held meetings with a number of major Chinese corporations important for Uzbekistan. Jin Liqun, President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), discussed the expansion of strategic partnership, Dai Houliang, Chairman of the CNPC oil and gas corporation, talked about the implementation of promising projects in Uzbekistan on the construction of underground gas storage facilities and modernization of gas transportation systems, drilling technologies and the training of specialists, and Xi Guohua, head of the Chinese corporation CITIC, discussed the expansion of the portfolio of joint projects. Mirziyoyev also received Wu Fulin, Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of China, to discuss the bank's plan to open a regional office in Tashkent and prepare new promising projects for the development of transport and social infrastructure, industry, and in the private sector. At the main event of the visit, Mirziyoyev and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed a document which was described on President Mirziyoyev’s website as made possible by a "powerful breakthrough in bilateral relations" in recent years. The agreement includes cooperation in the field of environmental protection; technical and economic cooperation; cooperation in the development of human resources; cooperation between state scientific research institutions; cooperation in the field of teaching the Chinese language; a protocol on deepening cooperation on China-Central Asia-Europe railway and the development of cooperation in the field of new electric vehicles; cooperation in the field of poverty reduction; a protocol on further strengthening of scientific and technical cooperation; on cooperation in the field of standardization, etc. The two sides agreed to continue to comprehensively strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields and further enrich their strategic partnership.

Bilateral Cooperation

Uzbekistan Ratifies Agreement on Transfer of Prisoners with Iran

The forty-ninth plenary session of the Senate of Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan took place in Tashkent on January 20th. Tanzila Norboeva, the head of the Senate presided over the plenary meeting, which was conducted via video conference, wherein discussions were held regarding a bill entitled, On the ratification of the Agreement on the transfer of prisoners between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran (Tehran, June 18, 2023). The agreement’s ratification gives Iranian and Uzbek citizens who have been detained in each other's territories a legal foundation on which to serve out their sentences in their home nation, thus allowing for regular visits with close relatives and easing the transition to civilian life. The agreement also opens up the possibility of bilateral cooperation in the area of the transfer of convicts.

Bilateral Cooperation

UAE Opens Borders to Tourists from Uzbekistan, Abolishes Visa-Regime

Uzbekistan's ambassador to the Emirates, Abdulaziz Akkulov, and the UAE Deputy Foreign Minister, Khalid Abdullah Belhoul have signed a protocol exempting citizens of both countries from visas requirements. As of February 16th, citizens from Uzbekistan will be able to enter the United Arab Emirates without the need to obtain a visa for up to 30 days, according to information reported on Podrobno.uz. The agreement follows an increase in the number of tourists from Uzbekistan visiting the UAE -119,500 in 2023. A considerable amount of money - $9.2 million was spent obtaining visas to the emirate. In this context, the agreement on increasing visa-free travel can be seen as an impetus for further development of tourism potential between the two countries. Citizens from Uzbekistan can now visit 29 countries without the need of a visa - significant progress for the power of the Uzbek passport. Thanks to this latest addition, Uzbekistan now holds 71st position in the Global Passport Power rankings.