In recent years, there has been a consistent development of cooperation between Uzbekistan and Germany, acquiring a progressive character. The partnership between the countries is multifaceted and covers trade, economic, investment, and technological spheres. Fruitful interaction is being carried out in the security, protection of human rights, environmental safety, science and education, expansion of cultural ties, and tourist exchange.

Germany highly appreciates Uzbekistan’s efforts to ensure stability and prosperity in the Central Asian region, supporting the foreign policy to strengthen friendship, good neighborliness, trust, and partnership in our region, to promote the peace process in Afghanistan, and regional infrastructure projects in transport for this purpose and energy.

So, in recent years, trade turnover and the number of joint projects have doubled. The volume of German investments in Uzbekistan’s economy is 5.5 billion euros, including 4 billion euros attracted over the previous few years.

An additional impetus to relations will be given by the visit of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on May 2-3 this year at the invitation of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to Germany. At the meeting, they noted with satisfaction the unprecedented dynamics of the development of multifaceted cooperation between Uzbekistan and Germany and the intensification of political, humanitarian, and business contacts. The leaders considered the issues of enhancing trade, economic, investment, and technological cooperation and defined priority areas for practical cooperation. In particular, Germany expressed its readiness to support regional connectivity projects, including within the framework of the EU Global Gateway initiative.

Interest was emphasized in strengthening partnerships in ensuring regional security and countering modern challenges and threats, primarily in the context of the situation in Afghanistan. The importance of providing targeted humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, including using the capabilities of the infrastructure created in the border city of Termez, was noted.

During the visit, 16 intergovernmental and interdepartmental documents were signed in the economy, trade, finance, education, science, and innovation.

Separately, we highlight that Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with the heads of leading companies and financial institutions in Germany. The event from the German side was attended by the heads of the Eastern Committee of German Economy, the German-Uzbek Business Council, the German Energy Agency, the heads of about 30 most prominent companies and banks, such as CLAAS, Knauf, Siemens Energy, Lasselsberger, Aurubis, Linde Group, Gunter Papenburg, Falk-Porsche-Technik, Mangold Consulting, DB Engineering, Landesbank, Commerzbank, KfW, Deutsche Bank and others.

More than 60 projects worth 5 billion euros are being implemented in Uzbekistan with the participation of German partners. In recent years alone, the number of joint ventures has doubled. The German economy’s “locomotives” CLAAS, Knauf, Gunter Papenburg, Linde Group, and Falk-Porsche-Technik operate successfully in Uzbekistan.

It is the business community that should play a vital role in the implementation of the agreements reached and further joint plans. On the sidelines of the Uzbekistan – Germany Business Forum, several new trade, financial and investment contracts were concluded to develop industrial cooperation and expand technological partnership by 9 billion euros.

These include green energy projects, transport infrastructure development, metallurgy, water supply, agriculture, chemical, mining, automotive, textile, electrical industries, and other areas. It is planned to enhance interaction in the banking and financial sector, particularly on project financing with German central banks such as Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, KfW, and Landesbank. Thus, Uzbekistan is ready to become an effective and reliable platform for German business in the new realities of large-scale and severe shocks in the global economy.

For our part, we emphasize that, by the renewed Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, guarantees have been strengthened to ensure the inviolability of private property, provisions are established on the creation by the state of conditions for fair competition and the independence of the judiciary.

In general, the results of the last visit indicate that bilateral relations have reached a qualitatively new level, a characteristic feature of which is the parties’ desire for mutually beneficial cooperation based on the principles of mutual respect and each other’s interests.

Aktam Khaitov,

Head of UzLiDeP faction in the Legislative

Chamber of the Oliy Majlis