Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan Expand Industrial Cooperation Following Business Forum in Bishkek

Uzbekistan and Afghanistan held a meeting to discuss deepening economic cooperation. The parties confirmed the goal of increasing mutual trade volume to the mark of $5 billion and developing more favorable conditions for doing business.

Participants and Agenda

The negotiations included Jamshid Khojaev, Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, and Nur Ahmad Islamjar, Governor of the Afghan province of Herat. Representatives from the chambers of commerce of both countries, heads of relevant ministries, and businessmen were present.

Measures to Develop Trade

The central topic of discussion was achieving the target turnover of $5 billion. Furthermore, the parties agreed to introduce special, preferential tariffs on fourteen items of Afghan products intended for export, and also provided for discounts on the transportation of goods by rail between the two states.

Investments and Further Cooperation

Mohammad Yunus Kazizad, Chairman of the Herat Chamber of Commerce and Industry, noted his region's interest in implementing joint investment projects and its readiness to assist in developing partnerships between Uzbek and Afghan enterprises. As a result of the meeting, it was decided to maintain continuous dialogue regarding logistics, trade, and investment issues.

Previously, Uzbekistan initiated the introduction of a new format of container railway transport directed to Afghanistan. This measure is expected to help reduce transportation costs and simplify the process of delivering goods for business circles.

The First Minister of Uzbekistan, Abdullah Aripov, and the First Minister of Kazakhstan, Olzhas Bektenov, held the twenty-third meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Bilateral Cooperation in Aktau. At this meeting, they reviewed the progress of previously reached high-level agreements and determined priority areas for further interaction, according to the press service of the Government of Kazakhstan.

Dynamics of Political Dialogue

According to Bektenov, cooperation between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan continues to actively develop thanks to the political dialogue between the Presidents of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev. He noted that this process serves as an example for the entire Central Asian region. The results of the state visit of the President of Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan last November confirmed the high level of trust between the two states.

Goals and Areas of Partnership Expansion

Aripov emphasized that the meetings of the leaders of the two countries in Bukhara, Astana, and Turkestan set concrete tasks for the governments to deepen cooperation. He expressed readiness to ensure the implementation of these tasks, noting that the negotiations will contribute to the development of trade, investment, industry, transport, interregional connections, as well as cultural and humanitarian relations.

Trade and Investment

According to data from the Kazakh side, bilateral trade reached a volume of 4.8 billion US dollars in 2025. Furthermore, from January to May 2026, trade turnover increased by 37% compared to the previous year, amounting to 2.3 billion US dollars. Participants focused on implementing the Roadmap for Investment and Trade, which is valued at 7.8 billion US dollars. Projects under this roadmap are designed to diversify trade, expand product supplies, and attract new investments.

Industrial and Transport Interaction

Industrial cooperation became another important topic of discussion. Currently, both countries are working on 80 joint projects worth more than 1.8 billion US dollars. Of these, 15 projects worth 227 million US dollars have been completed, creating about 5,000 jobs. Six other projects worth 102 million US dollars are in the implementation stage, and 59 initiatives totaling 1.5 billion US dollars are under consideration.

The First Ministers also analyzed the state of transport routes and logistics corridors. Railway freight transport between the countries increased by 16% in 2025, reaching 32.3 million tons. To increase transport volumes, the parties developed a joint action plan aimed at increasing the capacity of railway corridors from 35 to 60 million tons. Kazakhstan proposed modernizing cross-border railway infrastructure and opening additional border crossing points.

Digitalization and Culture

The meeting also highlighted positive trends in the use of Kazakhstan's maritime infrastructure and the development of road transport. Participants reported that the introduction of the E-Permit electronic foreign permit exchange system has allowed the number of permits to increase more than tenfold over the past four years, while reducing border crossing time from nine hours to 30 minutes.

The sides reaffirmed their commitment to continuing cooperation in water resource management, taking into account the interests of both countries. They also stressed the importance of expanding cultural and humanitarian ties, including joint efforts to include historical and cultural sites of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in the transnational UNESCO nomination 'Great Silk Road: Fergana-Syr Darya Corridor.'

Conclusion of the Meeting

Following the expanded format of the meeting, the sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in industry, transport, transit, and other sectors of the economy. Aripov and Bektenov signed the protocol of the twenty-third meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Bilateral Cooperation.

At the second meeting of the Expert Council of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, held in the capital of Kyrgyzstan and titled 'Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan: Strategic Partnership and Prospects for Its Further Development,' a significant improvement in bilateral relations was noted.

Discussion of Progress in Relations

The delegation from Uzbekistan participated in the event, which included leaders and specialists from leading analytical centers, relevant state agencies, and representatives of the business community. Eldor Aripov, Director of the Institute of Strategic and Interregional Studies (ISRS), addressed the participants, emphasizing the qualitative changes in ties between the two states.

According to Aripov, thanks to the strong political will of the leaders of both countries, all key and complex issues on the bilateral agenda have been successfully resolved. He called this a historic achievement, stating that for the first time in many decades, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan can focus their efforts not on overcoming the past, but on jointly shaping the future.

Economic Cooperation and Infrastructure

Economic interaction was also highlighted. Aripov noted that bilateral trade, which barely exceeded $100 million ten years ago, has now approached $1.2 billion, showing a growth of almost 40% in the last year alone. The parties aim to move from simply increasing trade volumes to deeper industrial cooperation and the creation of joint production capacities.

Regarding major infrastructure projects, Aripov emphasized the importance of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway line and the Kambarat-1 Hydroelectric Power Plant project. He stressed that these projects go beyond the bilateral agenda, as they are effectively shaping the new economic geography of Eurasia.

Water Resources and Public Contacts

On the issue of transboundary water resources, Aripov reported that recent experience demonstrates a gradual decrease in the relevance of traditional division of interests between upstream and downstream countries. Instead, mutual consideration of interests and shared responsibility for common natural resources is observed.

Concluding his speech, Aripov noted the unprecedented growth in contacts between the citizens of the two countries. Over the last decade, the number of Kyrgyz citizens who visited Uzbekistan has increased more than sevenfold, reaching 3.3 million people last year, which was the highest figure among all incoming international tourist flows to the country.