BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 22. More than 200 entrepreneurs from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan met in the Kyrgyz city of Osh on Tuesday for business-to-business (B2B) talks aimed at expanding bilateral trade, investment and cross-border industrial cooperation.
This was reflected in the statement by Uzbekistan's Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The business forum, organized by Uzbekistan's Chamber of Commerce and Industry together with Kyrgyz partner organizations, brought together government officials, business associations and private-sector representatives from both countries.
The event was opened by Osh Mayor Zhanarbek Akaev and attended by Uzbekistan's Consul General in Osh, Zafarbek Akhmedov, Deputy Chairman of the Uzbekistan Small Business Association Muzaffarkhon Musaev, and representatives of relevant government agencies and business communities from both countries.
In his remarks, Akhmedov said relations between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan have strengthened significantly in recent years, creating favorable conditions for deeper trade and regional economic cooperation.
"Strategic partnership and good-neighborly relations between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan have been developing consistently in recent years, providing new momentum for trade, economic cooperation and interregional ties," he said.
Musaev highlighted Uzbekistan's ongoing reforms to improve the business climate, support entrepreneurship and expand export capacity, encouraging Kyrgyz businesses to participate in new investment projects in the country.
The B2B meetings brought together companies operating in construction materials, food processing, agriculture, textiles, leather and footwear, furniture manufacturing, chemicals and plastics, pharmaceuticals, electrical equipment, trade, logistics, tourism and other service industries.
According to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, participants held negotiations on expanding exports, developing import-export operations, establishing joint manufacturing ventures and implementing new investment projects.
"During the meetings, the parties reached several agreements on expanding product exports, developing import-export operations, implementing joint production initiatives and advancing investment projects," the chamber said in a statement.
The forum reflects the growing pace of economic cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan as the two neighboring countries continue to remove trade barriers, strengthen regional connectivity and encourage private-sector partnerships. Business-to-business engagements have become an increasingly important tool for translating political rapprochement into commercial cooperation, particularly in manufacturing, agriculture, logistics and cross-border trade, areas viewed by both governments as key drivers of regional economic integration.
