BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 27. Romania intends to support Uzbekistan’s access to Caspian Sea-Black Sea international transport route, Ambassador of Romania to Uzbekistan Daniel Cristian Ciobanu told Trend in an exclusive interview.
“Romania, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkmenistan are working to operationalize the Caspian Sea-Black Sea international trade route. This multimodal route uses the Black Sea Port of Constanta and the Danube to provide a fast and economical alternative transport route to Europe's center. We plan to offer it to Uzbek economic operators once it's operating. This route will cut cargo time and cost from Uzbekistan to Romania and Europe, and vice versa. We have much to look forward to in this area of cooperation,” he said.
The ambassador emphasized that the matter of transportation alternatives is crucial and now a top priority on the bilateral agenda. A meeting of the Joint Commission on Road Transport between Romania and Uzbekistan occurred in Bucharest on 27-28 March 2024. Consequent to the negotiations conducted during the event, the liberalization of bilateral and transit transport of commodities between the two nations commenced on 1 June 2024, along with the provision for third-country transports, contingent upon a specified number of authorizations. These steps significantly advance bilateral relations between Romania and Uzbekistan in transportation as well as in general economic and commercial collaboration.
“Trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Romania has seen remarkable growth, with bilateral turnover increasing by over 111 percent in the first half of 2024, reaching $41.6 million. Bilateral trade has been on an upward trajectory, with 2022 marking one of the best years in our commercial relations. Romanian statistics show a 336.53 percent increase in trade volume compared to 2021, and exports from Romania to Uzbekistan surged by more than 116.51 percent,” he emphasized.
He attributed this growth to Uzbekistan’s sweeping reforms under the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, which have created numerous opportunities for international cooperation.
“Romanian companies have increasingly shown interest in Uzbekistan, recognizing the vast potential in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, construction, food production, and IT. For example, we already have a Romanian-Uzbek joint venture producing medicines in Uzbekistan, and new areas of collaboration are constantly emerging. Also, Romanian entrepreneurship is present in the construction sector in Uzbekistan; moreover, there is an important cooperation project underway in the food industry,” Daniel Cristian Ciobanu noted.
The ambassador emphasized the importance of sustaining this positive trend through enhanced connectivity and ongoing reforms in Uzbekistan.
“To further boost trade, we must address transport challenges by establishing faster, more flexible routes for goods between Romania and Uzbekistan. This will be crucial for maintaining the momentum in our growing economic ties,” he said.
Daniel Cristian Ciobanu pointed out that in 2022, in cooperation with the UNICEF Uzbekistan Office, two projects were implemented, one in the field of healthcare and the other in the field of education, both financed from the official development assistance funds provided by Romania. “The project in the healthcare sector envisaged a donation of medical equipment to the Multifunctional Medical Centre for Children in Termez (Uzbekistan’s Surkhandarya region). The official ceremony of donation took place in September 2022, with the participation of the Romanian Embassy, representatives of the municipality of Surkhandarya, and UNICEF. The other project targeted the education sector and consisted of the opening of two alternative preschool facilities for children from remote areas of the Khorezm region of Uzbekistan. The inauguration ceremony took place in October 2022, and it was an honor and a pleasure for me to participate again, alongside the representatives of the local authorities and UNICEF,” he underscored.
The ambassador emphasized that in 2023 and 2024, Romania continued to provide valuable assistance, primarily in the form of expertise, to support various reform processes in Uzbekistan, particularly in the social sector. Notably, between January 28 and February 3, 2024, a delegation from the Social Protection Agency under the President of Uzbekistan, consisting of 10 public servants led by the Deputy Head of the Agency, visited Romania. The purpose of this visit was to gain insights into Romania's experience in organizing social protection and providing assistance for vulnerable groups, such as orphaned children, people with disabilities, and the elderly. The visit proved to be highly productive, especially considering that the Social Protection Agency of Uzbekistan was newly established and entrusted with the critical task of shaping the country’s social protection and assistance policies.
“There has also been a significant increase in business delegations. As I already mentioned, the interest of Romanian companies and entrepreneurs in Uzbekistan is continuously growing, stimulated by the multiple opportunities emerging as a direct result of reforms taking place in this country. At the same time, the interest of Uzbek business people in Romania is very high. Just recently, in November 2024, a delegation of IT Park Uzbekistan, led by CEO Farkhod Ibragimov, paid a visit to Romania, where it had successful business meetings with representatives of important Romanian IT companies,” he added.