Uzbekistan and Belarus have signed 14 interregional agreements, with seven projects currently in progress
During President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s visit to Belarus, the Third Forum of Regions of Uzbekistan and Belarus, titled “Regional cooperation as a driver of economic cooperation”, took place in Minsk.
The forum was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Jamshid Khodjayev and the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Yuri Shuleiko, as well as representatives of ministries, agencies, business circles, and local authorities of the two countries.
Uzbekistan’s regional delegation included the hokims of Tashkent, Andijan, and Fergana regions, as well as deputy heads of other regions of the country.
The participants addressed strengthening interregional cooperation, expanding trade and industrial cooperation, and implementing joint investment projects.
In 2025, trade turnover between the two countries totaled $965 million. A total of 250 enterprises with Belarusian capital operate in Uzbekistan, while 110 enterprises with Uzbek capital have been established in Belarus.
Uzbekistan and Belarus have signed 125 bilateral documents. Since 2001, the Intergovernmental Commission on Bilateral Cooperation has been operating under the co-chairmanship of J. Khodjayev and Y. Shuleiko.
During the forum, an Action Plan was signed to foster cooperation between Uzbekistan and Belarus from 2026 to 2030. The plan aims to boost bilateral trade to $2 billion, enhance industrial collaboration, and develop joint projects in key sectors, including electrical engineering, light industry, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, and furniture. It is designed to serve as a practical guide for ministries, regions, and business sectors in both countries. Currently, joint initiatives are underway in areas such as cable manufacturing, tractor production, pharmaceuticals, poultry processing, and mining equipment assembly.
As a result of the joint work at the forum, a portfolio of investment and trade agreements was established, and 14 interregional documents outlining cooperation between specific regions of both countries were signed. Additionally, a schedule for reciprocal regional visits in 2026-2027 was approved at the level of the Deputy Prime Ministers.
Seven projects worth $164 million have been launched and will be implemented in Uzbekistan and Belarus. Among the new projects to be carried out in Uzbekistan are the launch of a production complex for dyeing and drying knitted fabric in Andijan region, the first stage of establishing a poultry cluster in Tashkent region, the organization of storage, processing, and blast-freezing of fruit and vegetable products, and a fruit-processing project in Fergana region.
Thematic sessions were held on industrial cooperation, agriculture and food production, woodworking and furniture manufacturing, and social and humanitarian cooperation.
Nasiba Ziyodullayeva, UzA
