Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan Enhance Strategic Partnership
Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu met with Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov during his working visit to Khiva on March 20th to discuss various areas of cooperation between the two countries.
One of the key points of discussion was the strong trade relationship between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, with annual trade exceeding $4 billion. The ministers highlighted the importance of achieving the goal set in the previously signed program to increase trade turnover to $10 billion by 2030. They also discussed the Central Asia International Industrial Cooperation Center and the recent opening of the Kazakhstan Trade Pavilion in the Airitom free economic zone in Termez.
In addition to trade, the ministers discussed collaboration in water and energy, specifically mentioning the progress on the trilateral Kambar-Ata-1 hydroelectric power plant project. They also touched on the success of Kazakh and Uzbek university branches, emphasizing the positive outcomes of partnerships such as Auezov South Kazakhstan State University in Chirchik and the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers in Almaty.
Furthermore, the ministers reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening interregional ties, improving transport and logistics through the Middle Corridor, and expanding cultural, humanitarian, and tourism cooperation between the two nations.
Overall, the meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Nurtleu and Foreign Minister Saidov highlighted the strong and growing relationship between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, as well as the shared commitment to furthering cooperation in various key areas.
