Usually, the purpose of international investment forums is to bring together global partners, demonstrate to them the current prospects for the development of economic relations, and plan various specific projects.

At a time when conflicts and crises are often observed in the international arena, the Tashkent International Investment Forum is of great importance. The economy always serves as a solid bridge for communication between countries and peoples. The Tashkent Forum will become a bold step forward in this process in terms of the geostrategic importance of Central Asia.

Many German companies are trying to find new markets and diversify their portfolio and foreign economic strategy. Special attention is paid to Central Asia.     

Uzbekistan is the most populous country in the region and has a rapidly developing economy. There is a regular increase in trade relations between our countries. Germany considers Uzbekistan not as a temporary partner or a bridge country for developing relations with other countries, but as a long-term stable economic partner. German companies are developing cooperation at the regional level. Uzbekistan can occupy a strategically important position in terms of its geographical location, which creates favorable conditions for foreign companies and entrepreneurs. There are broad prospects for entering the third market. For example, German and Turkish companies can easily implement joint projects in Uzbekistan. This is confirmed by last year’s series of high-level meetings and summits held by Central Asia with Germany, the United States, China, and European countries in the C5+1 format.  

The Central Asian-German summit held in Berlin last September also showed that relations are developing rapidly. Such growth rates of political and economic ties are of incomparable importance for the economy of Uzbekistan. If we look at the recent past, we can see that the economy of Uzbekistan, despite the global crisis due to the pandemic, has reached a positive indicator. After the end of the worldwide pandemic, a new perspective for cooperation has opened up.    

Every time I visit Uzbekistan, I witness great changes taking place in the country. Large-scale construction is being carried out not only in the capital but also in the regions. Infrastructure is being developed, educational institutions and enterprises are being built, and representative offices of international companies are being opened. Investors are provided with assistance in any matter.

Textiles, agricultural products, and technologies are essential traditional areas of economic relations between Germany and Uzbekistan. Agricultural products are exported from Uzbekistan to Germany. I think these areas will not lose their importance and will develop even more in the future.

Cooperation is also being formed in new directions. Recently, together with the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Germany and the II Uzbek-German Medical Forum, a digitalization and information technologies conference was held. Medicine, IT and digitalization, and the manufacturing industry are becoming promising areas of cooperation.

The automotive industry is an export-oriented sector of the German economy. The German economy always needs international economic partners. And Uzbekistan has been our reliable and stable partner for many years.

Your country regularly expands international cooperation in all promising areas. This is the result of the reasonable policy of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the work of representatives of small and medium-sized businesses. The following forum will create a convenient communication platform for developing promising industries.

Our association always supports mutually beneficial cooperation. I am happy that, through my activities, I am contributing to developing relations with Uzbekistan.

This year, an international textile forum will be held in your country. Our association regularly informs German companies about new opportunities and promising areas opening up in the Uzbekistan market.  The Embassy of Uzbekistan in Berlin provides excellent support. We are very grateful for that. I am sure that cooperation will develop even more actively.

Urs Unkauf,

Federal Managing Director of the German Federal Association for Economic Development and Foreign Trade (BWA)

UzA