A meeting between Aslam Akbarov, Consul General of Uzbekistan in Novosibirsk, and Irkutsk Region Governor Igor Kobzev took place in Irkutsk, the correspondent of “Dunyo” news agency reports.
The parties discussed the further development of cooperation in trade, economic, cultural, and humanitarian spheres, as well as practical steps to implement the Action Plan for 2026–2028, signed in April 2026 following the participation of the Irkutsk Region delegation in the “INNOPROM. Central Asia” exhibition in Tashkent.
According to the governor, relations between the Irkutsk Region and the regions of Uzbekistan have reached the level of a systemic partnership, as evidenced by the growth of trade turnover and the implementation of joint investment projects.
The talks also discussed the establishment of a wholesale and retail base in Irkutsk for fruit and vegetable and textile products from the Andijan Region, a project to develop livestock farming with cattle deliveries to Uzbekistan, and the organization of direct timber supplies from the Irkutsk Region.
The Russian side supported the proposal to open a showroom for products from Irkutsk Region producers in the Ayritom Free Economic Zone in Termez. The regional governor also expressed interest in supplying wild-growing products, agricultural products, and fuel pellets to Afghanistan.
By the end of 2025, trade turnover between the Irkutsk Region and the regions of Uzbekistan increased by 44%, reaching $180 million. Uzbekistan ranks fourth among the region’s export destinations. The main exports are timber, pulp, aluminum, pharmaceuticals, and engineering products.
Three investment agreements with Uzbekistan, worth $12 million, are currently being implemented in the areas of hydraulic equipment, wholesale trade, and pulp and paperboard production. In addition, Irkutsk companies are developing 11 new projects worth a total of $112 million.
The Minister of Economic Development and Industry of the Irkutsk Region, Viktor Tsishkovsky, noted the potential for developing industrial cooperation, creating joint technological chains, and implementing high-value-added projects.
The Russian side also proposed exploring the possibility of Uzbek farmers establishing greenhouse farms in the Irkutsk Region and expressed interest in attracting specialists from Uzbekistan to work at gold mining enterprises in the region.
The parties noted the progressive development of cooperation in tourism. In September 2025, at the “INTURMARKET-BAIKAL” International Exhibition and Forum in Irkutsk, Uzbekistan’s tourism potential was presented to a wider audience for the first time.
Following the meeting, the governor instructed the Ministry of Economic Development and Industry of the Irkutsk Region to review the proposed proposals within one month and organize substantive online negotiations with their Uzbek counterparts.
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