The press service of the Russian cabinet has announced that Prime Ministers Mikhail Mishustin of Russia and Abdulla Aripov of Uzbekistan will hold a joint commission meeting at the head-of-government level in Moscow. The meeting will focus on enhancing collaboration between Russia and Uzbekistan in various sectors, including industry and energy.
"The upcoming meeting is set to address a comprehensive array of topics encompassing trade, economics, investments, and cultural as well as humanitarian collaboration between Russia and Uzbekistan. Particular emphasis will be placed on enhancing cooperation in key sectors such as industry, energy, transportation, agriculture, science, education, and other areas of shared interest," the press service stated.
The Russian government office has highlighted energy as "the most crucial sphere of bilateral cooperation" with Uzbekistan. They emphasize that "the expansion of collaboration between Russia and Uzbekistan in the gas sector not only serves the interests of both nations but also contributes to the energy security of Central Asia."
According to the Russian assessment, "in the midst of global economic uncertainty, trade, economic, and investment relations between Russia and Uzbekistan are showing dynamic growth." "Russia stands as Uzbekistan's primary trading partner, and in 2022, bilateral trade surged by almost a third compared to 2021, reaching $8.7 billion. In the first seven months of this year, trade turnover increased by over 14%, reaching $5.2 billion," the cabinet of ministers specified.
Strategic partnership
"Uzbekistan stands as a reliable strategic partner and ally of Russia in Central Asia. The relationship between Russia and Uzbekistan is grounded in principles of equality, mutual respect, and the consideration of each other's interests, fostering a long-standing friendship," stated the Russian government office. Additionally, they noted that "recently, Russian-Uzbekistan relations have elevated to the status of a comprehensive strategic partnership."
Moscow has acknowledged that Uzbekistan, granted observer status in the Eurasian Economic Union in late 2020, actively engages with the organization. Furthermore, Russia and Uzbekistan collaborate within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), including efforts against terrorism, extremism, crime, and drug trafficking. The Russian cabinet of ministers regards the partnership between Moscow and Tashkent within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as fruitful.
The Russian government emphasizes the deepening of cultural and educational connections. For instance, Uzbekistan leads among neighboring and non-CIS nations in terms of the number of students studying in Russia. Over 63 thousand Uzbek nationals are enrolled in various higher education programs in Russia. Russian serves as the language of interethnic communication for 130 ethnic groups residing in Uzbekistan. Approximately 150 Russian teachers are employed in Uzbekistan, and over 1,000 local educators have completed advanced training courses. Currently, there are 14 branches of Russian universities in Uzbekistan, including Moscow State University, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, and MGIMO.
Today's meeting of the joint commission, established at the initiative of the two countries' presidents, marks the fourth such meeting since 2019.
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Photo: Federation Council
Based on materials from TASS