TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, November 17. Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan have outlined a comprehensive roadmap to elevate their strategic partnership, agreeing to initiate a new phase of large-scale collaborative projects and further strengthen bilateral cooperation across key sectors, Trend reports via the press service of the Uzbek president.
The issue was discussed during talks between Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, which took place at the Kuksaray residence.
During the discussions, the leaders highlighted the substantial growth in mutual trade, which has more than doubled in recent years, surpassing $1 billion. They emphasized that the conditions are now ripe to increase this figure to $2 billion, with the diversification of traded goods and the full utilization of the free trade regime seen as key drivers. The newly established Shavat–Dashoguz cross-border trade zone is expected to further enhance bilateral commercial ties, with plans to extend this model to other regions, particularly the Alat–Farab area.
In order to bolster industrial collaboration, the presidents underscored the importance of involving businesses in joint initiatives, such as the production of building materials, pharmaceuticals, food products, and other commodities that hold significant demand in both markets.
The sides also acknowledged the fruitful cooperation already in place within the energy sector and agreed to pursue larger-scale projects, including the joint exploration and development of promising energy deposits.
Transport was emphasized as a pivotal sector linking the two economies, with freight volumes continuing to rise and customs and logistics procedures being optimized. The parties agreed to collaborate on the development of the Turkmenbashi port and to reinstate direct flights between Tashkent and Ashgabat.
To ensure the effective and timely execution of the agreements, both sides committed to holding regular meetings of the Intergovernmental Commission and the Business Council before the close of the year.
The discussions concluded with a directive to draft a comprehensive roadmap for the implementation of the agreed-upon initiatives.
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov’s state visit to Uzbekistan took place from November 16–17, during which he also participated in the 7th Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia.