Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov held a meeting of the Russia-Uzbekistan Joint Commission at the level of heads of government in Tashkent.
Mikhail Mishustin’s remarks at the meeting:
Mikhail Mishustin: Dear Mr Aripov,
Dear friends,
The fifth meeting of the Joint Commission at the level of heads of government of Russia and Uzbekistan
The fifth meeting of the Joint Commission at the level of heads of government of Russia and Uzbekistan
Mikhail Mishustin at the meeting of the Joint Commission at the level of heads of government of Russia and Uzbekistan
The fifth meeting of the Joint Commission at the level of heads of government of Russia and Uzbekistan
Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov at the meeting of the Joint Commission at the level of heads of government of Russia and Uzbekistan
Mikhail Mishustin and Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov
The fifth meeting of the Joint Commission at the level of heads of government of Russia and Uzbekistan
First of all, I would like to thank you all for the warm welcome in Tashkent and for the traditional Uzbek hospitality.
Today we are holding the fifth meeting of the Russia-Uzbekistan Joint Commission at the level of the heads of government. This format allows us to effectively address all issues of bilateral cooperation and, of course, contributes to achieving the strategic tasks set by our presidents, Vladimir Putin and Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
Mikhail Mishustin and Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov visited the Victory Park memorial complex and laid flowers at the Ode to Fortitude monument in Tashkent
Mikhail Mishustin and Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov visited the Victory Park memorial complex and laid flowers at the Ode to Fortitude monument in Tashkent
Mikhail Mishustin and Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov viewed exhibitions at the Glory Museum, while visiting the Victory Park memorial complex in Tashkent
Mikhail Mishustin and Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov viewed exhibitions at the Glory Museum, while visiting the Victory Park memorial complex in Tashkent
Mikhail Mishustin and Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov viewed exhibitions at the Glory Museum, while visiting the Victory Park memorial complex in Tashkent
Mikhail Mishustin made an entry in the Guests of Honour Book
Mikhail Mishustin and Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov visited the Victory Park memorial complex and laid flowers at the Ode to Fortitude monument in Tashkent
Mr Aripov, you and I meet regularly, including on various international platforms. And this is understandable, with Uzbekistan being Russia’s reliable partner. Relations between our two countries are based on the principles of equality, respect and consideration of each other’s interests. We are actively expanding our economic and investment interaction. You have mentioned that Russia is among leaders in terms of foreign trade with Uzbekistan. Last year, Russia-Uzbekistan mutual trade grew by 11.5%, exceeding 820 billion rubles, while in the first half of this year, it added almost 9% more. During Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Tashkent in May, our presidents set an ambitious goal for us – to triple the volume of joint trade by 2030. I believe that we have every opportunity to fulfil this strategic goal. And the most important thing, Mr Aripov, dear friends, is our mutual commitment to productive activity.
As I have already said, we maintain regular contacts at all levels. We recently met with you, Mr Aripov, during the Caucasus Investment Forum in Grozny in July; you mentioned it. Our deputy prime ministers and other members of our governments are in constant contact. The intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation makes a substantial contribution to resolving practical issues. On the Russian side, it is chaired by First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, and on your side by Jamshid Khodjaev. I would like to thank both colleagues for their constructive work.
Interregional interaction was also elevated to a new level since early 2024. Our Presidents, Vladimir Putin and Shavkat Mirziyoyev, took part in the first meeting of the Council of Regions of Russia and Uzbekistan.
We hope that interregional relations will grow stronger, and that they will launch new essential projects in the most diverse spheres, including such spheres as joint industrial zones. We also suggest focusing on issues of enhancing the transport connectivity of our states. We should jointly develop reliable international logistic corridors for expanding freight and passenger traffic.
More profound industrial cooperation, as well as expanded export-import chains, is a promising aspect. Today, you and we have visited TECHNOPARK that impressed all of us. Our Uzbek friends have accomplished a lot, and this work highlights wonderful results in terms of industrial production volumes, as well as R&D projects. I would like to sincerely congratulate you on this successful project.
Our businesses are investing actively in Uzbekistan’s economy. The Republic has 3,000 joint ventures with Russian capital. They help implement projects in key areas, including the light, chemical and mining industries, metallurgy, the automotive and aerospace industries, pharmaceutics, telecommunications, digital solutions and others.
Our energy cooperation is making successful headway; this includes Russian natural gas, crude oil and petroleum deliveries to Uzbekistan. We are launching practical cooperation in the sphere of the civilian nuclear industry; this cooperation involves our company, Rosatom.
Russia’s retailers and e-commerce companies are expanding their presence on the Uzbek market at a breath-taking pace.
We suggest expanding other aspects, too. We are studying possibilities for launching high-tech production of polymers and localising production of civilian drones and their components.
We have made a principled decision to establish railway machine-building capacities in Uzbekistan. The involvement of Uzbekistan in Eurasian integration can provide additional advantages to businesses by opening up new sales markets and creating favourable conditions for fair competition.
We prioritise efforts to strengthen cultural and humanitarian ties. We cherish the traditions of friendship and mutual respect uniting our countries. We treat our common history in a particularly frugal manner. Today, we have visited Victory Park that made a great impression on us. We paid tribute to the feat of soldiers and home front workers. It is very important to preserve the memory of the Great Patriotic War for all our future generations through joint cultural, science, sport and other projects.
Our tourist exchanges continue to increase. As of late, these exchanges have become more popular; our efforts to make trips more affordable, to improve the quality of services and to expand the line of products facilitated this process. Last year, mutual tourist flows expanded by 100 percent and reached 1.2 million people. They expanded by an additional 12 percent during the first six months of 2024.
I am confident that future coordinated actions in this sphere and the holding of the Year of Tourism of Uzbekistan in Russia will make it possible to expand these parameters. From 24 September, passenger trains will link Moscow and Tashkent once again.
During our meeting, we will review highly important issues of Russian-Uzbek relations, prospects for expanding trade and economic, cultural and humanitarian ties. We will prioritise expanded industrial and agricultural cooperation, as well as that in the fuel and energy sector, medicine, education and other fields.
Mr Aripov, I am confident that decisions, due to be adopted by you and me today, will provide an additional impetus to our cooperation, and that they will make it possible to accomplish objectives, set by our Presidents, Vladimir Putin and Shavkat Mirziyoyev. They will facilitate the development of Russian and Uzbek economies; and, most importantly, they will improve the well-being of our citizens. We are working precisely for this sake.
