Uzbekistan’s cooperation with European countries has been steadily developing year after year. The first “Central Asia – European Union” summit, held on April 3-4 this year in Samarkand, served as a crucial platform for strengthening relations between the two regions and exchanging views on current international and regional political issues.

As noted by the Head of state during the conference, thanks to a shared political will, the profound transformation taking place in Central Asia has become sustainable and irreversible. Trust and good-neighborly relations among the countries of the region are being strengthened, while comprehensive cooperation and collaboration continue to expand.

Cooperation within the “Central Asia + EU” format continues to develop steadily and improve. An analysis of the collaboration between the Kingdom of Spain and Uzbekistan shows that bilateral relations have reached a new level. Spain is one of the economically advanced countries of the European Union. Diplomatic relations with this country, which recognized Uzbekistan’s independence on December 31, 1991, were officially established on March 17, 1992. Over the years, bilateral cooperation has significantly improved. The meeting between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and King Felipe VI of Spain held in Astana in June 2017 as part of the SCO summit, further enhanced the effectiveness of this cooperation. The scope of efforts to strengthen ties across all sectors has expanded, and a mechanism for holding political consultations between the ministries of foreign affairs has been established. Parliamentary friendship groups, formed in the legislative bodies of both countries, also play a crucial role in developing and maintaining friendly relations. In addition, a Cooperation Agreement has been signed between the Ombudsman institutions of Uzbekistan and Spain.

In accordance with the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Uzbekistan and the European Union, a most-favored-nation trade regime has been established with Spain. Currently, 16 enterprises, with the participation of Spanish companies, operate in Uzbekistan. Of these, 8 are joint ventures, while the other 8 are wholly owned by Spanish capital. It is worth noting that mutual interest among the business communities of both countries in strengthening and expanding cooperation and business ties is steadily growing. Promising areas of economic cooperation include the agro-industrial complex, food, chemical, and textile industries, tourism, pharmaceuticals, winemaking, and mechanical engineering. Cultural and humanitarian cooperation is carried out in accordance with the Agreement on Cooperation in Culture and Education, signed in 2001.

Various events have been organized in accordance with this agreement. In particular, the 600th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the state of Amir Temur and the Kingdom of Castile was widely celebrated in Tashkent and Samarkand in April-May 2004. In 2006, an international conference was held in Madrid to mark the 670th anniversary of Amir Temur’s birth and the 600th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Cooperation in education has also been strengthening year by year. The Uzbekistan State World Languages University is actively developing partnerships with universities in Madrid, Granada, Alcalá de Henares, and Málaga. In 2019, with the support of the University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spanish language and culture centers were opened at the Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages and the Uzbekistan State World Languages University. Memorandums of cooperation have also been signed between the University of World Economy and Diplomacy and San Pablo University, as well as between the University of Santiago de Compostela and the Tashkent Pediatric Medical Institute.

There is significant potential for cooperation in tourism. Over the past eight years, the volume of bilateral economic relations has doubled, as has the number of joint ventures operating in Uzbekistan. Spain is globally recognized as one of the main economic drivers of the European Union and is renowned for its rich history and culture. Today, the country has established strong partnership ties with Uzbekistan. The Samarkand Summit has opened new horizons for further strengthening these opportunities.

Bekhruz Khudoyberdiyev, UzA