The President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, put forward the idea of creating a food cooperation program between states without direct access to the sea and transit countries. This initiative aims to improve logistical processes and the trade of food products, as well as to implement joint projects for their storage, processing, and transportation.
The head of state announced this proposal at international forums held during the celebration of International Cotton Day and ensuring food security for developing landlocked countries. Delegations from over thirty countries participated in these events.
Mirziyoyev emphasized that issues with high transportation costs and difficulties in transit countries create serious obstacles to maintaining food security in non-coastal states. In light of this, Uzbekistan advocates for simplifying supply rules, as well as for free trade and food logistics.
The President proposed starting work on this program by involving Central Asian countries, transit partners, and landlocked states. Furthermore, he appealed to private investors and international financial institutions to participate in projects related to transportation, cold storage, and product processing.
According to Mirziyoyev, factors such as climate change, water resource scarcity, droughts, and disruptions in logistics networks also negatively affect food security. He informed that, according to FAO data, more than 645 million people worldwide are currently suffering from hunger. Experts predict that without taking additional measures, the number of people suffering from hunger could rise to one billion by 2028.