Uzbekistan participated in the 5th Ministerial Meeting “Central Asia – Russia”

On April 22 of this year, the 5th Ministerial Meeting “Central Asia – Russia” was held in the format of a videoconference. The event was attended by representatives of the governments of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Russia. Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade S. Umurzakov presented the Republic of Uzbekistan at the videoconference.

The agenda of the meeting included issues of multilateral cooperation between the countries of the region and Russia, including mechanisms for maintaining stability in Central Asia, countering terrorist and extremist threats, stimulating the implementation of reforms and sustainable development, ensuring accelerated economic growth and food security, increasing export potential, developing intra-regional tourism, cyber and biological security, as well as establishing sectoral cooperation between the countries of the region.

Representatives of the participating countries in their speeches outlined the current state of bilateral and multilateral cooperation in each of the above areas, outlined the priorities of current interaction, as well as the vision of its expansion for the near and medium term.

S. Umurzakov’s speech was devoted to the prospects of deepening cooperation in the areas of supporting reforms and strengthening the sustainable development of the region.

The most important areas of cooperation between the countries participating in the platform were identified. Among them are active stimulation of trade and economic ties and ensuring food security by expanding and diversifying mutual supplies of demanded products, developing “green corridors” and logistics opportunities.

The Uzbek side also called for strengthening joint work on the development of technological potential, consolidation and mobilization of joint investment opportunities of the countries participating in the platform.

In the context of the need to accelerate post-covid recovery, revive tourist, business and freight exchanges between the countries of the region and Russia, the importance of coordinated cooperation to eliminate barriers to commodity and passenger flows was noted.

Also, S. Umurzakov in his speech listed specific areas of interaction in the field of industrial cooperation and technological exchange, energy, education, health, science and information technologies, as well as regional security both on a bilateral basis and within the framework of regional and international structures.

A separate place in the speech was given to Afghan issues. Uzbekistan’s commitment to continuing to provide practical support to Afghanistan in solving acute socio-economic problems, ensuring the safety of the population and stability in the country was outlined. Uzbekistan will continue to provide effective humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, fulfill existing agreements on the supply of electricity, provide services for the training of Afghan students and specialists in educational institutions of the country, as well as promote the implementation of previously agreed joint infrastructure projects.

Substantive discussion and effective exchange of views on the agenda issues allowed the participants to determine the points of intersection of mutual interests and develop common positions on various aspects of interaction. As a result of the event, a common readiness was expressed to continue multilateral dialogue in order to promote mutually beneficial partnership and solve common problems.