Negotiations between the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, took place face-to-face and with the participation of official delegations at the Congress Center in Samarkand. This was reported by the President's press service.
The issues of further developing bilateral strategic partnership relations and expanding multifaceted cooperation were discussed.
It was noted with satisfaction that the agreements reached during the high-level meetings held in Rome in June 2023 are being consistently implemented.
In recent years, the volume of trade exchange nearly tripled, thanks in particular to the expansion in the range of products delivered.
The number of joint ventures and projects doubled. Mutually beneficial cooperation with leading Italian companies in metallurgy, electrical engineering, agriculture, animal husbandry, tourism, and other fields has been established.
The Uzbekistan delegation actively participated in the Venice Biennale and held an exhibition in Florence. Uzbekistan Culture Days took place in Rome and Viareggio in December last year.
Branches of the Universities of Turin and Pisa are successfully operating in our country. The second forum of rectors was effectively held in April.
The sides supported the continuation of active political exchanges.
Following the effective summit held in Samarkand in April this year, it was agreed to continue active cooperation with institutions of the European Union. The importance of holding the "Central Asia - Italy" summit focusing on practical results was emphasized.
Agreement was reached on expanding technical assistance programs for businesses in the trade sector, training Uzbek exporters for entering the European Union market, establishing a Joint Certification Center in Tashkent, and accelerating the adoption of the Conformity Assessment Agreement among others.
The head of our state proposed launching a Technological Partnership Program with Italy's leading companies.
Innovative projects of private entrepreneurship, deep processing of critically important minerals and agricultural raw materials, components for the automotive industry, electrical engineering, energy, food, pharmaceuticals, construction industry, production of high-tech products in textiles, leather, furniture manufacturing, and other sectors were noted as priority areas for establishing design centers.
Such projects can be located in the industrial park to be organized in the Tashkent region under the management of a European operator.
The issue of establishing a joint investment fund to launch new mechanisms for supporting projects, as well as involving Italy's "SACE" and "SIMEST" state agencies, was considered.
Special attention was paid to developing extensive scientific and technological collaboration in agriculture on the basis of a complex "road map". The prospects for cooperation in cultivating grapes, olives, saffron, peppermint, establishing agrolaboratories, developing biotechnologies, and implementing agroinsurance were noted.
It was agreed to revive the work of the Intergovernmental Group and hold its meetings together with a business forum to promote new projects.
The importance of achieving practical results within the expansion of partnership relations between the territories of Uzbekistan and Italy was emphasized in the context of the visit of the Governor of Lombardy, Attilio Fontana, and the first Regional Forum.
Plans to launch the branch of the University of Turin in our country and dual degree programs with the Universities of Pisa, Trento, Roma Tre, and Ca' Foscari were supported.
It was agreed to organize Days of Italian Culture in Uzbekistan.
It was noted with pleasure that an agreement focused on establishing systematic cooperation in the field of labor migration was signed during the visit.
At the conclusion of the meeting, a decision was made on preparing a comprehensive "road map" for the implementation of the agreements reached.
