From January 13 to 15, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev paid an official visit to the United Arab Emirates at the invitation of the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

This visit marked another significant political milestone in the President’s historic visits to leading nations. It expanded opportunities for high-level dialogue with a key Gulf state, an essential step for Uzbekistan. The outlined plans and goals reflect a strong commitment to strengthening ties. 

An UzA correspondent interviewed Sayfiddin Jurayev, Director of the Center for Analytical Studies at Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies (TSUOS), on the outcomes of this visit and the prospects for strategic cooperation with the UAE. 

– During President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s official visit to the United Arab Emirates, key areas of focus included further strengthening bilateral and multilateral political and diplomatic relations, fostering practical cooperation in trade, economy, investment, green energy, agriculture, infrastructure, digitalization, innovation, tourism, and cultural and humanitarian sectors. In recent years, Uzbekistan’s foreign policy has elevated mutually beneficial cooperation with Arab nations to a new level. The UAE has become one of Uzbekistan’s key partners in the region. A close and constructive dialogue between our countries steadily expands at the interparliamentary, foreign policy, and governmental levels and through ministerial and agency-level cooperation.

During his official visit, the President of Uzbekistan participated in and delivered a speech at the opening of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week summit and the Sheikh Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony. 

The outcomes of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s negotiations with Sheikh Mohamed Al Nahyan, Vice President Sheikh Mansour Al Nahyan, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications Omar Sultan Al Olama, UAE Minister of Investment, Managing Director of ADQ holding Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi,  Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, Vice President and Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and the heads of numerous companies in Dubai mark the beginning of a new era in relations between Uzbekistan and UAE. 

The UAE and Uzbekistan, each with their own strategic goals, view one another as reliable friends and time-tested partners. The rapid development of relations demonstrates that this partnership benefits both nations.

Under the leadership of the President of Uzbekistan, a new stage of reforms has begun. The New Development Strategy of Uzbekistan for 2022-2030 has been adopted, focusing on economic modernization, enhancing competitiveness, attracting foreign investment, and consistently improving the population’s well-being. Similarly, the UAE has launched a long-term development program to diversify economic ties, attract additional investments, expand into new markets, and strengthen its scientific, industrial, and export potential. 

Bilateral relations, including regular high-level dialogue, have become more structured. This is happening against the backdrop of changing international relations and a complex global landscape, particularly in the Middle East. Uzbekistan and the UAE share similar positions in addressing global challenges and advancing unique initiatives. Trade volumes, joint ventures, and air transport connectivity between the two countries are steadily increasing. The portfolio of ongoing and prospective projects in Uzbekistan involving leading UAE companies has now reached $20 billion. 

In conclusion, this official visit will further strengthen partnerships in political, economic, investment, cultural, and other spheres. 

Utkir Alimov, UzA