Uzbekistan and Türkiye signed agreements aimed at facilitating freight transport and developing the Middle Corridor, the Transport Minister Ilkhom Makhkamov told the Uzbekistan 24 TV channel.

"Türkiye and Uzbekistan have signed agreements to support and simplify freight transport along the Middle Corridor, as well as to use ports with access to the sea through Türkiye, in particular the Mersin port, for the delivery of goods all the way to the Americas," the minister said.

According to him, agreements have been reached on mutual support, facilitating transport, and reducing various difficulties arising at the borders.

Ilkhom Makhkamov also noted that the parties have agreed on measures to facilitate transport along the Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Türkiye route.

"The borders between Türkiye and Iran are currently open, and transporting is ongoing. Trilateral meetings are due to further facilitate freight forwarding. "Uzbekistan, Iran, and Türkiye have agreed on practical steps to facilitate the use of this corridor," he said.

A separate set of agreements concerns the digitalization of international transportation.

"We agreed to expedite digitalization processes and make the decisions between Uzbekistan and Türkiye a model for the entire corridor," the minister emphasized.

He cited e-vehicle permits as an example: "Uzbekistan and Türkiye were the first to implement e-permits, and today the e-permit system is already in use and is being extended to other neighboring countries."

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev paid an official visit to Türkiye on January 29-30. Following the visit, a number of accords were signed, including an agreement on cooperation in the development of international transport corridors. These documents envisage the development of new routes connecting Uzbekistan with the Caucasus and Europe.

In particular, container trains are planned to be launched on the Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Türkiye route. "This will directly accelerate export-import processes and create opportunities for entrepreneurs to enter new markets," said Amir Sultonov, head of a department at the Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The two-way trade between Uzbekistan and Türkiye has been declining since 2021, when it stood at $3.4 billion. By the end of 2025, it had fallen to $3.02 billion. The countries agreed to increase it to $5 billion.