Tashkent hosted Uzbekistan – Slovenia Business Forum with the participation of heads of key ministries, agencies, industry associations and more than 100 representatives of business communities of the two countries.

According to the Ministry of Investments, Industry and Trade (MIIT), the Uzbekistan delegation at the forum was headed by Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjayev, and the Slovenian delegation was headed by Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon.

The heads of delegations noted the timeliness of intensifying bilateral cooperation, including in mutual trade, and the leading role of active interaction between business circles in this context.

The positive dynamics of foreign trade turnover, the volume of which increased by almost 40% over the past year, was emphasized. This became possible largely due to Uzbekistan obtaining the status of a beneficiary of the Generalized System of Preferences “GSP+”. To increase indicators in foreign trade, the parties agreed on the issues of providing the necessary additional conditions for the business circles of the two countries. At the forum, Economic Cooperation Agreement was signed between Uzbekistan and Slovenia.

In addition, during the presentations and dialogues of business circles, the prospects for establishing partnerships in the automotive industry, the production of components, metal products, hydraulic turbines, pumps and the joint production of pharmaceuticals were considered. The possibilities of creating an agro-industrial complex for the implementation of joint projects for the development of animal husbandry, horticulture and seed production, as well as organizing the activities of a branch of the large Slovenian retail chain Mercator Group in Uzbekistan were discussed.

Following the event, the participants expressed their commitment to further strengthening economic cooperation between Uzbekistan and Slovenia, establishing strong business contacts and providing comprehensive support to entrepreneurs in the implementation of joint projects and initiatives.

The forum continued with B2B and B2G meetings, during which the parties exchanged views and proposals in the context of developing new investment projects and establishing close trade relations, which are designed to bring cooperation between the two countries to a new level of practical interaction.

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Guzal Sattorova, photos by Oybek Pardayev, UzA