BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 21. Uzbekistan and Israel discussed potential cooperation in groundwater management and critical metals on Sept. 19 in Tashkent.
This was reflected in the statement by the Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Mining and Geology, following a meeting between First Deputy Minister of Mining and Geology Feruza Khamidova, ministry officials and the leadership of Uzbek Technological Metals Plant (UzTMK), and Israeli Ambassador to Uzbekistan Gideon Lustig and Asaf Shirman, Israel’s regional financial attaché for Asian countries.
The Uzbek side briefed the Israeli delegation on reforms carried out in the mining and geology sector in recent years, including the revised Subsoil Law and measures aimed at improving the investment environment.
Officials also presented Uzbekistan’s mechanisms for offering prospective areas to investors through the E-Auksion platform, as well as the activities of UzTMK and projects in hydrogeology, industry digitalization and metallurgy.
Particular attention was given to Israel’s potential contribution to the development of Uzbekistan’s groundwater sector. The Israeli side expressed interest in cooperation on groundwater and critical metals, while highlighting Israel’s experience in hydrogeology.
The sides discussed the possibility of Israeli companies and experts presenting proposals and technological solutions for the exploration and use of groundwater resources in Uzbekistan.
The discussions also covered cooperation in critical metals, an area of growing importance for Uzbekistan’s mining and geological development.
“The Israeli side expressed interest in cooperation in the fields of groundwater and critical metals and proposed considering relevant technological solutions based on Israel’s experience in hydrogeology,” the ministry said.
The Israeli delegation also highlighted its participation in the GEOMIN 2026 conference in Uzbekistan and praised the event’s scale and practical significance.
The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss potential cooperation between Uzbek and Israeli institutions and companies in geological exploration, groundwater resources, critical metals and mining technologies.
