Presidents Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan and Aleksandr Lukashenko of Belarus held talks, both in a narrow format and with the participation of members of their official delegations, as reported by the press service of the president of Uzbekistan.
The meeting highlighted the successful preparation of various events preceding the visit, including a regular meeting of the intergovernmental commission, regional forums as well as those involving deans, medical workers and others.
Both sides agreed to continue political dialogue and mutual support through international structures, including the UN, CIS (the Commonwealth of Independent States) and SCO (the Shanghai Cooperation Organization).
The presidents noted the positive dynamics of trade and economic cooperation, with the trade turnover witnessing a 15% increase last year, reaching over $620.1 million by the end of 2023. The governments have set a goal to surpass $1 billion in the coming years.
Following such pursuits, an agreement was reached to establish a joint foreign trade company and implement mechanisms to support export-import operations along with introducing an electronic system of goods certification.
In recent years, the number of joint ventures has increased fourfold. The leaders of two states outlined priority cooperation areas, including agriculture, light, food and electrical industries, pharmaceuticals, urban development, communications and others. They agreed to establish separate working groups for each sector.
Both parties agreed to establish conducive conditions for cargo transportation, preparing international road carriers and effectively utilizing multimodal corridors leading to the extensive markets of South Asia.
The leaders appreciated the increased intensity of interregional exchanges, noting the fruitful outcomes of the second Forum of Regions of Uzbekistan and Belarus. The event was held the previous day and led to the signing of contracts and agreements exceeding $1 billion in value.
The parties agreed to keep sustaining active cultural and humanitarian exchanges, planning to adopt programs for partnership development in higher and professional education, healthcare, culture, sports and tourism.
