• KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00189 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09151 0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0.28%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00189 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09151 0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0.28%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00189 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09151 0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0.28%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00189 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09151 0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0.28%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00189 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09151 0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0.28%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00189 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09151 0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0.28%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00189 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09151 0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0.28%
  • KGS/USD = 0.01144 0%
  • KZT/USD = 0.00189 0%
  • TJS/USD = 0.09151 0.11%
  • UZS/USD = 0.00008 0%
  • TMT/USD = 0.28571 0.28%
15 January 2025

Viewing results 1 - 6 of 25

Uzbekistan and the EU Celebrate 30 Years of Mutually Beneficial Cooperation

A festival to celebrate the 30th anniversary of cooperation between Uzbekistan and the European Union (EU) will be held on 18 May at Tashkent's Botanical Garden. Welcoming the event, EU Ambassador to Uzbekistan Charlotte Adrian, stated,  "The partnership between the European Union and Uzbekistan remains strong, from the signing of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) to the strengthening of GSP+ [Generalized Scheme of Preference Plus] trade relations and joint commitments to improve human rights." The festival will feature an exhibition of EU-funded projects including an interactive platform for young people, students and other visitors.   The 'Climate Change and Resilience in Central Asia' project will be highlighted through an interactive game, quizzes and question-and-answer sessions, whilst  'Made in Uzbekistan'  will showcase goods from EU-AGRIN (Uzbek Agriculture Knowledge and Innovation System) in tasting sessions of local produce. Celebrations will close  with a grand gala concert dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the partnership. Interaction with the EU , one of the main priorities of Uzbekistan's foreign policy, is evidenced by the country's accession in 2021 to the GSP+ system of preferences, which enables   6,200 categories of goods to be exported to Europe duty-free. In this regard, General Director of BMB Trade Group Mirgulom Usmanov noted that agri-food companies in Uzbekistan are now growing and processing varieties of fruit and vegetables to meet the demands of  the European market. In the first 10 months of 2023 alone, the volume of mutual trade between Uzbekistan and the EU grew by 36 percent year-on-year to $4.8 billion. An important step towards revitalizing the partnership  was taken in the adoption of a resolution that calls for a review of the EU's strategy towards Central Asian countries and as stressed by  the report,  "The EU is extremely interested in deploying efficient trade and energy corridors between Europe and Asia, bypassing Russia."

EU and FAO Aid Uzbekistan’s Management of Hazardous Chemicals

On 1 May, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Uzbekistan held an inception workshop in Tashkent on technical assistance for the sound management of hazardous chemicals. The joint venture, implemented with financial support from the European Union, is designed to enhance the effectiveness of mechanisms and tools for the management of hazardous chemicals and related waste. A key goal cited by the EU Delegation to Uzbekistan, is to reduce the use of dangerous pesticides in agriculture, through the introduction and promotion of alternative methodologies amongst farmers. Aziz Abdukhakimov, Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change, stressed that by actively striving to reduce the use of highly hazardous pesticides, Uzbekistan aims to lower their adverse impact on the nation’s health and environment, in addition to making a significant contribution to  UN Sustainable Development Goals. Regarding plans to address the issue, he  announced, “We need to revise our inventory of contaminated areas of former agricultural airfields and other sites, the last of which, was carried out in the ‘90s when more than 450 former agricultural airfields were identified.” Praising the move, Wim Riepma, Head of Cooperation Section, EU Delegation to Uzbekistan, stated: "Our partnership with the Government of Uzbekistan and FAO exemplifies a collective commitment to protecting the environment and public health, by cleaning up legacy waste, by improving waste management, and by reducing pesticide waste production. Integrated pest management and awareness of health and environmental risks are key to a healthier, environment- friendly and economically viable agriculture sector.” Sherzod Umarov, Assistant FAO Representative in Uzbekistan, likewise emphasized, "The project implementation will enable an improved institutional capacity for sound pesticide management and better data on hazardous wastes in agriculture allowing development of a national waste management strategy. The project also aims to scale up green practices in the agricultural sector leading to reduced risks to farmers and consumers from the use of pesticides and to food production relying on less toxic pesticides and biological protection tools.”  

EU Supports Uzbekistan’s Anti-Corruption Efforts

The European Union, an EU Consortium under the leadership of GIZ (Germany), UNDP Uzbekistan, and the Anti-Corruption Agency of Uzbekistan, have joined forces to bolster Uzbekistan’s anti-corruption efforts. Funded by the European Union, "Improving Governance in Uzbekistan," was officially launched on 19 April, and targeting all 14 of Uzbekistan’s regions, will run until 2026. As reported by the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan, the campaign will be actioned through two closely related projects. The first, “Inclusive corruption prevention,” will be implemented by the EU Consortium under the leadership of GIZ in partnership with Regional Dialogue and the Central Finance and Contracting Agency of Latvia. The budget of 4,550,000 euros is co-funded by the German government. The second, “Strengthening the National Anti-Corruption Ecosystem in Uzbekistan,” costing 2,500,000 euros, will be implemented by UNDP. Operating in tandem, the projects aim to address critical challenges faced by anti-corruption efforts including weak institutionalization and gaps between national and regional levels of their implementation. Ms. Charlotte Adriaen, EU Ambassador to Uzbekistan, expressed her optimism about the campaign, saying, “This initiative signifies EU’s continued support of the ambitious reform program in Uzbekistan. Supporting efforts in fighting corruption will be essential for ensuring sustainable and equitable development.” Speaking on behalf of Anti-Corruption Agency, director Mr Burkhanov outlined expansive plans to address the issue including the introduction of the Integrity Assessment initiative and ensuring that corruption reforms reach all regions. In addition, the agency is set to introduce digital technologies and artificial intelligence into the anti-corruption system, enhance cooperation of civil society institutions and increase their effectiveness, and introduce a coordinated system for cooperation with donors supporting anti-corruption.

Kazakhstan Seeks EU Assistance in Sustainable Water Management

On April 18, Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov chaired the 14th meeting of the Kazakhstan-European Union dialogue platform attended by heads of diplomatic missions of EU member states and top managers of several European companies. Referencing the country’s devastating spring floods and the importance of expanding partnership with EU countries for the development of a sustainable water infrastructure, Bektenov stated, "The scale and consequences of the natural disaster require from us radically new approaches for the proper use of resources and avoidance of similar incidents in the future.” Bektenov emphasized that Kazakhstan is especially interested in the best practices of European countries and companies, and welcomed discussions in which delegates shared their experience in the introduction of water-saving technologies and the development of the agro-industrial sector. In turn, Ambassador of the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan, Kestutis Jankauskas, reported, "The water issue is a priority of our cooperation with Central Asia. Like other natural resources, water must have its price in order to be used efficiently. This will stimulate the introduction of more efficient technologies, and many European companies are ready to work in this direction." Having confirmed the EU’s readiness to transfer knowledge and technologies in the field of sustainable management of water basins and rivers, Mr Jankauskas announced that cooperation on agriculture and water management will be a focus of this year’s bilateral agenda.

EU and Uzbekistan Establish Strategic Partnership on Critical Raw Materials

On April 5th, European Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis and Uzbekistan's Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a strategic partnership on critical raw materials (CRMs). Rich in copper, molybdenum, and gold, Uzbekistan has the second-largest reserves of CRMs in Central Asia and an ambitious mining strategy aimed to increase processing for both domestic and international industries, particularly in automotive and consumer electronics. As reported by the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan, the new strategic partnership marks a significant step towards securing responsible production alongside a diversified and sustainable supply of CRMs for green and digital transitions in both the EU and Uzbekistan. “This agreement with resource-rich Uzbekistan will help the EU to secure much-needed access to critical raw materials,” commented Valdis Dombrovskis, European Commission Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade. “It is part of our wider global outreach to work with partners on securing materials for the future. For Uzbekistan, this will deliver a major boost to its ambitions to economic diversification, develop its extractive industry in a sustainable and resilient manner.”

Kazakh-European Proposal for CRM and Green Hydrogen Strategy

Some 60 high-ranking officials from the European Union and representatives of the EU business community attended a meeting on March 5th organized by the Kazakh Embassy in Belgium. A high-level event, its key focus was Kazakh-European cooperation on critical raw materials (CRM), green hydrogen and batteries. In November 2022, Kazakhstan and the European Union signed a Memorandum of Understanding on sustainable raw materials, batteries, and renewable hydrogen value chains, and adopted a Roadmap for its implementation in 2023. At the meeting on March 5th, Bolat Akchulakov, energy advisor to the president of Kazakhstan, emphasized the importance of the Kazakhstan-EU Memorandum of Understanding for strategic partnership in achieving common objectives of green transition. Luc Devigne, deputy managing director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the European External Action Service (EEAS), praised the development of the Kazakhstan-EU relationship as a “success story of cooperation.” Referencing the EU’s readiness to further strengthen this partnership, he stated that it would ensure both the sustainability of supply chains and the achievement of common goals regarding climate change. As part of the event, Kazakhstan’s national company Kazakh Invest presented a report on CRM at its Brussels office. Kazakhstan produces 19 of the 34 critical raw materials listed by the European Union. Kazakh manufacturers currently supply the EU with beryllium, tantalum, and titanium but have the potential to further exploit the country's cache of other raw materials. By establishing plants to process reserves of nickel, cobalt, manganese, and lithium, Kazakh enterprises will be able to produce batteries, essential for electric vehicles.