The Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan, Laziz Kudratlov, reported in an interview with Uzbekistan 24 on the results of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's state visit to Kyrgyzstan. During the visit, both countries agreed to increase interaction in several key sectors.
The agreements cover areas such as agriculture, mineral extraction, energy, construction material production, and transport. The parties have agreed on a number of joint projects to be implemented in Kyrgyzstan.
These projects include the creation of a livestock breeding cluster, as well as initiatives for growing rice and potatoes, alongside the development of building material production. Uzbek enterprises are already involved in the production of aluminum profiles, polymer products, and dry building mixes.
Mineral extraction will become a new area of cooperation. Kudratlov noted that the ministries and specialized companies of Uzbekistan plan to conduct geological surveys in Kyrgyzstan, utilizing accumulated experience.
Priority areas of cooperation also include the energy sector, participation in the Kambarat hydro-power plant project, and the development of small energy facilities. Furthermore, progress is being made in the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, which is proceeding ahead of schedule.
The countries also reached an agreement to create more favorable conditions for cargo transit, processing, and customs clearance. Following the Uzbek-Kyrgyz business forum, numerous documents were signed and agreements on investment projects and trade contracts worth over 1.5 billion US dollars were concluded.
Laziz Kudratlov emphasized the positive dynamics of bilateral trade. He stated that the volume of trade between the two states increased by 45% since the beginning of 2026, reaching 624.6 million US dollars. In 2025, bilateral trade amounted to 1.2 billion US dollars, which is 37% more than in 2024 ($874.7 million).
The Minister added that the parties have already identified additional categories of goods, assortments, as well as exporters and importers that will contribute to further trade expansion. According to Kudratlov, the state visit of the President of Uzbekistan to Kyrgyzstan marks an important stage in the development of bilateral relations. At the conclusion of the meetings, the heads of state signed the Treaty on Alliance between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. Cooperation in the fields of energy, trade, and logistics was also discussed.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A meeting took place in Kabul between the Prime Minister of Afghanistan, Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, and the Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Jamshid Khodjayev, who headed the Uzbek delegation. The governor of the Fergana region, Khayrullo Bozorov, also participated in the negotiations.
The parties discussed the further development of trade and economic interaction, as well as the implementation of previously reached agreements in the field of trade and investment. Jamshid Khodjayev emphasized that the goal of the large Uzbek delegation, which included representatives of state bodies, legislators, entrepreneurs, and investors, is to strengthen political and economic ties between the two countries.
According to him, Afghanistan holds a significant place in Uzbekistan's foreign policy. The delegation's visit was organized at the instruction of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev with the aim of beginning the practical implementation of agreements in the sectors of trade and investment and assessing the results of their execution.
Khodjayev reported that last year the volume of Afghanistan's exports to Uzbekistan reached 150 million US dollars. Since the beginning of the current year, this amount has been 111 million US dollars, and further growth is expected by the end of the year. Furthermore, the deputy prime minister noted that Uzbekistan issued 5000 visas to Afghan citizens, which he links to the development of friendly and economic relations.
Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund welcomed the Uzbek delegation, calling its visit an important step for further strengthening bilateral relations. He stated that the arrival of such a representative delegation and the development of economic cooperation demonstrate Uzbekistan's confidence in Afghanistan's future. The Prime Minister of Afghanistan also expressed interest in deepening ties with Uzbekistan and confirmed his readiness to fulfill the reached agreements.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.'
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.
