A meeting between President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Andrej Babiš took place in the Koksaroy residence, both in a narrow format and with the participation of delegations from the two countries. This was reported by the press service of the President of Uzbekistan.
The current state and prospects for further development of practical cooperation between Uzbekistan and the Czech Republic were discussed. At the beginning of the meeting, the Uzbek leader emphasized that this visit marks a qualitatively new stage in the history of Uzbekistan-Czech relations. The development of cooperation in all areas was noted, close contacts were established at the level of governments, ministries and departments, and business and humanitarian exchanges were activated.
It was reported that trade turnover has almost doubled in recent years. 37 joint ventures with Czech capital are successfully operating in the country. Work is underway on a number of new areas of cooperation. Special attention was paid to increasing the volume of mutual trade. The task was set to bring trade turnover to $1 billion, including by expanding the range of products.
To stimulate joint trade, the first certification branch of Uzbekistan is being established in the Czech Republic. A modern laboratory for certification of Euro-6 standard cars and a quantum standard is being built with Czech partners. An agreement was reached to develop a Technological Cooperation Program, including projects with leading Czech companies in mechanical engineering, green energy, geology and critical raw materials, chemistry, pharmaceuticals and other areas.
Prospects for cooperation in infrastructure development and smart cities, engineering and digitalization were also noted. In particular, the project initiatives announced at the Uzbekistan-Czech business forum held the day before were supported. The parties welcomed the intention of the Export Credit Insurance Agency and the Czech Export Bank to support the implementation of projects in Uzbekistan.
To advance all issues on the economic agenda, it was proposed to establish a Business Council and hold the next meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission in August this year in Tashkent. Mutual interest in expanding educational and academic exchanges, including within the framework of joint degree programs, was confirmed.
The importance of regularly holding mutual Culture and Cinema Days, exhibitions and concerts, as well as increasing tourist flows between the countries, was emphasized. To this end, the issue of resuming direct flights between the capitals of the two countries will be considered. Prospects for cooperation in the field of organized labor migration were discussed.
An exchange of views on the international agenda also took place. In conclusion, an agreement was reached to develop a joint “roadmap” for the timely implementation of the decisions made.
Source: www.gazeta.uz