The President of Uzbekistan and the Prime Minister of Pakistan outline priorities for deepening the strategic partnership
On February 5, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting in a contracted format and the first meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council in Islamabad.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Head of State congratulated his Pakistani counterpart on the upcoming holy month of Ramadan and Pakistan Day.
Practical issues related to expanding and strengthening the strategic partnership and multifaceted cooperation between Uzbekistan and Pakistan were comprehensively reviewed in the context of implementing high-level agreements.
The high level of interaction achieved in recent years was noted with satisfaction. Political dialogue continues to strengthen, while inter-parliamentary and inter-departmental exchanges are developing dynamically.
By the end of last year, the volume of mutual trade had reached nearly 500 million US dollars. Around 230 enterprises with Pakistani capital are currently operating in Uzbekistan. The number of flights between the two countries has increased, and interbank correspondent relations are being strengthened.
Cooperation projects in the textile, pharmaceutical, chemical, and agricultural industries, as well as other sectors, are being successfully implemented.
The parties welcomed the productive outcomes of the political consultations and the Intergovernmental Commission meeting held on the eve of the visit.
An exhibition of Uzbekistan’s industrial products is taking place during the visit.
The need to hold the first meeting of the Coordination Committee of the two countries’ foreign ministries in Tashkent in the near future was noted.
To establish long-term partnerships between business communities, an agreement was reached to establish the Uzbekistan – Pakistan Business Council.
A task was set to increase bilateral trade turnover to 2 billion US dollars in the near future. Decisions were taken to significantly expand the product range under the existing Preferential Trade Agreement, broaden the list of phytosanitary permits for Uzbek agricultural products, and actively utilize Uzbekistan’s trade houses in Lahore and Karachi.
As part of preparations for the visit, a portfolio of projects worth nearly 3.5 billion US dollars has been developed across agriculture, electrical engineering, geology, pharmaceuticals, the light and food industries, and other sectors.
Particular attention was paid to the development of transport and logistics connectivity. The importance of accelerating the implementation of the Trans-Afghan railway construction project and promoting the “Pakistan – China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan” transport corridor was emphasized.
Interregional cooperation was identified as one of the key drivers of economic cooperation development.
An agreement was reached to establish the Uzbekistan – Pakistan Forum of Regions, with the first meeting proposed for this year in Khorezm region.
Issues related to establishing systematic cooperation in pilgrimage tourism were discussed separately. To further bring the people of the two countries closer, it was agreed to hold Uzbekistan Culture Weeks and Uzbek Cinema Days in Pakistan this year.
The Head of State also proposed establishing a joint cultural center in Lahore to promote the Baburids’ heritage.
During the talks, views were exchanged on current issues of the international and regional agenda, and commitment to continuing close cooperation within multilateral structures was reaffirmed.
In conclusion, Shavkat Mirziyoyev invited Shehbaz Sharif to pay a return visit to Uzbekistan.
