The official welcoming ceremony for the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev was held at the Qasri Millat residence in Dushanbe on Thursday, the Uzbek president’s press service said.

A guard of honor was lined up, the national anthems of the two countries were played. Then the two presidents introduced the members of the official delegations to each other.

“After the end of the ceremony, a tete-a-tete meeting between Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Emomali Rahmon began, during which the two leaders reviewed in detail the entire range of Uzbek-Tajik strategic partnership and multifaceted cooperation, focusing on further deepening constructive political dialogue, building up trade and economic and investment cooperation, expansion of cultural and humanitarian exchanges,” the message says.

The two leaders, in addition, discussed issues of security, stability and development in Central Asia, as well as cooperation within the framework of international and regional structures.

“All the decisions we have made are being implemented, during this time a lot has changed in bilateral ties. The numbers speak for themselves. If in 2017 the two-way trade was at US$ 70 million, then in the difficult 2020 of the pandemic for the first time this figure reached US$ 500 million," Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.

“Uzbekistan is our strategic partner and reliable neighbor. We are glad that today the Tajik-Uzbek ties are developing dynamically. Trade and economic ties are expanding. Relationships in the cultural and humanitarian field are being strengthened. I would especially like to note the coordination and close interaction of our countries on regional security issues,” said Emomali Rahmon.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev congratulated Tajikistan on the upcoming 30th anniversary of independence and invited Emomali Rahmon to pay a return visit to Uzbekistan.