The Czech Škoda Group sought to set up a joint venture in Uzbekistan for assembly of railway rolling stock, the company's press service said during the meeting of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev with business leaders in Brussels.
During the meeting, Škoda Group showcased a strategic plan for entering the Uzbek market through a joint venture for assembly of railway carriages, technical maintenance and repair throughout the entire life cycle of the rolling stock, as well as the creation of a Škoda Academy School of excellence for training and retraining.
Škoda Group CEO Petr Novotný underscored that each of these areas represented a concrete step aligned with the new Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA) and the European Global Gateway strategy.
According to him, Central Asia is one of the priority areas of the company's strategy. “We consider Uzbekistan a country open to new investments from European partners. The country has long been within the scope of our strategic interests. Therefore, we are pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to the development of sustainable transport, education, and technological modernization in the local market,” he said.
According to the company, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev highly valued Škoda Group's contribution to the development of the transport sector and expressed support for the company's long-term presence in the Uzbek market.
In addition, the Minister of Transport, Ilkhom Makhkamov discussed cooperation in the field of railway and urban transport with executives of the Czech corporation, including an electric trains purchase deal and launch of their manufacturing in Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Transport said.
