The President Shavkat Mirziyoyev today held informal talks with his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Almaty.

According to the Uzbekistan presidency website, the presidents, with the participation of delegations of their governments, discussed in detail the ways to deepen the ties.

They heard reports from deputy prime ministers on measures being taken aimed at increasing the trade, bilateral projects in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, oil and gas, textile, agricultural and other industries.

The leaders gave instructions to expedite the implementation of regional infrastructure projects and pointed to the importance of launching the International Center for Industrial Cooperation this year and expanding the operations of the joint foreign trade company.

Reportedly, the volume of trade between the two countries has grown by 14% year-to-date, with the portfolio of investment projects reaching $4 billion.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev said that relations between the two countries "had completely changed in recent years. We are now allies. Thanks to our personal relations, many issues have resolved, and everything we agree on works out. There are real results."

"I came with a large team. Although this is an informal meeting, each such informal meeting gives a big impetus to our relations, to all our agreements," Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said: "This is a very good opportunity to exchange views in a businesslike atmosphere on how we are working on a big deal - the development of cooperation between fraternal, friendly states. We are allies, and the situation in the entire Central Asian region largely depends on how the relations between our countries develop."

He highly praised Shavkat Mirziyoyev's personal contribution to bringing the peoples of the two countries closer together and promoting the common goals of ensuring sustainable and secure development in the region.

"You are well known in Kazakhstan, and you are treated with great respect. Under your strong leadership, Uzbekistan is developing dynamically... The more successfully the economy of Uzbekistan develops, the better and more qualitatively the trade and economic cooperation between our countries develops," he emphasized.

Before the talks, the presidents visited the Almaty mountain cluster and the popular high-mountain Medeu sports complex.