BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 7
By Ilkin Seyfaddini – Trend:
Uzbekistan plans to expand bilateral partnership with Czechia by signing memorandum on deepening bilateral economic relations, Trend reports with reference to Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan.
This was discussed during a videoconference between Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister Sardor Umurzakov and Czech Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlicek.
"The parties discussed the current state of investment, trade and economic cooperation, noting the significant progress observed in recent years in the development of bilateral partnership. The sides also voiced mutual intentions to further support the cooperation between business circles of the two countries," the report said.
Priority directions for expanding the cooperation are agriculture, medicine and production of medical equipment, automotive industry, metallurgy, production of agricultural machinery, construction materials, and textile industry. In these sectors, the relevant agencies will conduct joint study of promising investment projects and select potential partners, the message said.
The sides discussed preparations for the 9th session of Uzbek-Czech intergovernmental commission on economic, industrial and scientific-technical cooperation with the organization of business forum within its framework in the second half of 2020, the ministry says.
The parties also discussed draft memorandum on deepening bilateral economic relations between the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Czechia, as well as draft agreement on cooperation between the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of Czechia.
Furthermore, the parties agreed set up an Uzbek-Czech working group on agriculture, whose task will be to boost mutual trade in this area.
"Special attention will be paid to expanding cooperation in the financial and technical sector by establishing cooperation with such organizations as the Czech Export Bank, the Czech branch of Uni Credit Bank and Export Guarantee and Insurance Corporation (EGAP), attracting preferential financing for projects and training of Uzbek specialists in finance and insurance," said the ministry.
The Czech side expressed readiness to provide comprehensive support to Uzbekistan in the issue of joining the World Trade Organization, obtaining the status of beneficiary country of the European Union's Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP) and drafting an agreement on expanded partnership and cooperation with the EU.
Following the meeting, it has been agreed to set up a joint working group at the level of deputy heads of foreign economic agencies of the two countries to work out and achieve firm investment and trade agreements, identify new promising areas of bilateral cooperation, as well as to monitor the implementation of all agreements in trade and economic, investment, financial and technical and humanitarian spheres, the message said.
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