Today on May 13, Tashkent hosted the maiden meeting of the Uzbekistan-Slovakia Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation.

According to the Ministry of Investments, Industry and Trade, the meeting was chaired by the Deputy Minister of Economy of Slovakia Vladimir Šimonek and the Deputy Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan Shohrukh Gulomov.

The parties discussed a wide range of matters aimed at strengthening and developing mutual cooperation. Trade and economic cooperation was in the spotlight. The parties commended the increase in the volume of two-way trade, and confirmed their interest in expanding trade in energy, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, digital technologies and other sectors.

An agreement was reached on holding of joint exhibitions, forums and business missions, the use of mechanisms for financing export operations through the Slovak Export Bank, and implementing soft lending.

They considered the prospects for developing cooperation in the areas of energy and renewable energy sources, agriculture, including geological exploration, and important raw materials, including the extraction and processing of rare and rare earth minerals.

The sides agreed to support initiatives to strengthen cooperation in the field of transport and automotive industry, the development of international transport corridors, digitalization, finance and taxation, labor migration, medical and health tourism, standardization, metrology, hydrometeorology, and other technical and scientific areas.

The meeting concluded with the signing of final MoM containing the reached commitments, with the parties agreeing steps to hold the next meeting of the Commission in Bratislava.