President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev is on an official visit to Brussels. This visit of the head of state is fully covered by important political and economic contacts in Europe, the presidential press service reported.
The main events of the visit are scheduled for October 24, and in the first half of the day, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a "round table" in the format of an open dialogue with the heads of leading European companies and banks.
The meeting was attended by the heads of such large companies and financial institutions as Vandewiele, Linde, Rhenus Logistics, Ahlers Logistics, Lasselsberger Group, Pietro Fiorentini, NextChem, Meridiam, SUEZ, FMO, European Investment Bank, Commerzbank, KfW, Textima, Chemcomplex, Metso.
Addressing the participants, the President noted that the dialogue at this level and the active participation of European partners demonstrate a high level of mutual trust and a firm commitment to long-term cooperation.
At the meeting, it was noted that the signing of an important document defining a new stage in relations between Uzbekistan and the European Union - the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement - marks the beginning of a new era in bilateral relations.
It is reported that over the past seven years, trade turnover between Uzbekistan and European countries has doubled. During this period, the number of joint ventures with the participation of European capital exceeded one thousand, which is a vivid example of growing confidence in reforms in the country's economy.
The European partners were gratefully acknowledged for their support in modernizing the country's economy, introducing new technologies, and developing corporate governance and innovative production.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev also dwelled on the development of human capital. He noted that in recent years, opportunities for young people to receive higher education have expanded, branches of foreign universities have been opened, and joint educational programs with European universities are being implemented.
During the "round table," the head of state outlined four main areas for further deepening cooperation. The first direction is the joint implementation of projects for the development and processing of strategic raw materials and mineral resources for the production of high-value products.
The second direction concerns the "green economy" and the chemical industry. Uzbekistan is taking active steps in this area - it invited European companies to participate in projects for the introduction of renewable energy sources, energy saving, and environmental chemistry.
The development of infrastructure and the logistics system was indicated as the third direction. Large-scale work is being carried out in the country to modernize roads, railways, airports, and transport corridors. In this regard, the President emphasized the need to strengthen cooperation in creating modern logistics centers connecting Europe and Asia.
The fourth important area is the digital economy and information technology. It was noted that Uzbekistan pays special attention to attracting advanced European experience in this area, developing digital services, e-government, and the startup ecosystem.
Following the meeting, European business circles highly appreciated the economic reforms in Uzbekistan and expressed their readiness to expand future joint projects and investment cooperation.
According to analysts, this dialogue in Brussels could mark the beginning of a new, practical stage of economic cooperation between Uzbekistan and Europe.
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