Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 4
By Fikret Dolukhanov – Trend:
The Penza region of Russia and the Andijan region of Uzbekistan are interested in cooperation in the agricultural sector, Uzbek media reported referring to the signing of a protocol of intent to develop cooperation in the trade, economic, scientific, technical and humanitarian spheres between the two regions.
The Uzbek delegation visited the Russian region together with head of the Andijan region Shukhratbek Abdurakhmanov.
The parties discussed development of investment activities and the potential of the Penza region as one of the industrial and scientific centers of Russia. Representatives of the executive and legislative authorities discussed promising areas of cooperation, including projects in the agro-industrial complex and a number of other sectors.
Abdurakhmanov noted the interest of the Andijan region in expanding trade interaction between the two regions.
The Uzbek side has also expressed interest in cooperation in the field of education and medicine. He invited the delegation of the Penza Region to return a working visit to Andijan.
Uzbekistan is one of the permanent partners of the Penza region in exports and is among the Top-5 countries with the highest export potential. It accounts for about six percent of all goods exported from the Penza region.
Main articles of export are food products and raw materials for their production, as well as engineering products and pulp and paper products.
Russia is one of the leading trade and economic partners of Uzbekistan. The Central Asian state employs over 960 enterprises with participation of Russian capital and, according to experts of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan, their number will exceed 1,000 before the end of the year. Uzbekistan itself is also active in Russia, and it has already opened over 560 enterprises there.
Uzbekistan is on the fourth place in terms of commodity turnover with Russia among the CIS countries. At the end of 2017, it amounted to $3.6 billion and increased by 33.9 percent.
In January-February 2018, trade turnover increased by 50.2 percent and reached almost $600 million. Russia's exports grew by 59.7 percent, and imports - by 28.1 percent.
At the same time, the total volume of investments from Russia to Uzbekistan exceeded $8.5 billion.
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