Investment potential of Bashkiria was presented at Interregional Cooperation Forum in Tashkent

On May 18, in Tashkent, the Forum of Interregional Cooperation was held as part of the visit of the Bashkortostan official delegation to Uzbekistan. The heads of ministries and departments, entrepreneurs, and businessmen of the two republics held meetings and negotiations, exchanged practices, and discussed the prospects for developing relations between Bashkortostan and Uzbekistan.

At the forum site, the Head of Bashkortostan Radiy Khabirov appreciated the work of business missions of representatives of the business circles of Bashkortostan.

“There are 70 export-oriented companies here, including 14 large enterprises, 56 small and medium-sized businesses, 9 importing enterprises, and five business associations,” Radiy Khabirov said. “We brought a big team, we have substantial plans.”

According to the press service of the Head of the Region, the business mission was held as B2B meetings with Uzbek counterparts. In his opening speech at the forum, the Head of Bashkortostan Radiy Khabirov thanked the Uzbek partners for their sincere hospitality and cordiality.

“Our delegation has been working in Uzbekistan for the third day. On the first day, we arrived in Karakalpakstan, then we visited Samarkand, and today we are working in Tashkent. I want to thank the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev, Prime Minister Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov, the leaders of Karakalpakstan, the Samarkand region, and the Khokim of Tashkent Jahongir Abidovich Artykhodzhaev for their hospitality and warm welcome,” Radiy Khabirov stressed. “We understand that we are starting a new round of relations between Bashkortostan and the regions of Uzbekistan. We have everything for fruitful development - wonderful friendly relations between the heads of the two states, the history of good neighborly relations between the peoples of Russia and Uzbekistan, and invaluable experience of interregional cooperation. Most importantly, together we want to develop our economy and do a lot to improve the lives of our people. I believe we are going to be successful."

Radiy Khabirov noted that an important event in the framework of the foreign visit of the republican delegation was the opening of the representative office of Bashkortostan at the Russian Trade Mission in Uzbekistan. Marcel Asfandiyarov headed the new office. The Trade Representative Office of the Russian Federation created worthy conditions for business negotiations and presentations of joint projects and initiatives. A team of specialists from Bashkortostan will help strengthen our region's presence in Uzbekistan, as well as increase mutual trade and investment.

Russian trade representative in Uzbekistan Konstantin Zlygostev positively assessed Bashkortostan's initiative to create a new office.

Konstantin Zlygostev added that by the end of 2021, the trade turnover between Russia and Uzbekistan amounted to $7 billion.

“Just four years ago, the trade turnover between our countries amounted to $2 billion, and currently this figure has increased several times - up to $7 billion. We see that the Republic of Bashkortostan has made a significant contribution to the common cause,” said Konstantin Zlygostev. “I hope that by the end of 2023 we will reach a trade turnover of $10 billion. This is the task that the leaders of our states set before us in 2018.”

Khokim of Tashkent Jahongir Artykhodzhaev also highly appreciated the development of bilateral relations between the regions of Russia and Uzbekistan.

“Direct contacts between cities and regions of the two states increase the efficiency of interaction between entrepreneurs and businessmen, and improve the atmosphere of humanitarian ties,” Jahongir Artykhodzhaev said. “I am sure that this forum will also serve as a new impetus for the development of trade and economic relations between Tashkent and Bashkortostan. Over the past four years, Tashkent has noticeably changed, we have accumulated significant experience in many areas - construction, housing, and communal services, tourism. We are ready to share it with our friends and partners.”

In continuation of the forum, the Prime Minister of the Government of Bashkortostan Andrey Nazarov spoke in detail about the investment and economic potential of the republic.

As part of the business program, the heads of industrial enterprises of Uzbekistan also delivered reports, presenting the potential of industrial cooperation in the chemical and textile industries.

At the end of the forum, a ceremony of signing agreements on cooperation between the companies of Bashkortostan and Tashkent took place. It should be noted that in total, during the visit to Uzbekistan, the Bashkortostan delegation concluded 19 agreements with foreign partners for $ 200 million.