On July 28 this year, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan S. Umurzakov met with President of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) S. Kayalar during the visit of the Governmental Delegation to the Republic of Turkey.

During the meeting, the parties discussed current epidemiological situation in Uzbekistan and Turkey, measures taken to reduce the negative impact of the pandemic on the population and economies of both countries, as well as a number of urgent problems of cooperation in public administration, digital technologies, agriculture, as well as the projects on preservation of cultural and historical heritage.

The Turkish side was thanked for assistance in eliminating the consequences of the industrial disaster in the Sardoba reservoir and for supporting measures to counter the pandemic in Uzbekistan.

The parties emphasized that thanks to the visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh.Mirziyoyev to Turkey in 2017, multifaceted cooperation between the two countries achieved the new orbit. In particular, the Agency supported the implementation of 147 projects worth USD 26 million for the last three years. In general, since the establishment of the partnership with TIKA, 800 projects worth USD 52.4 million were implemented in healthcare, agriculture, development of small and medium-sized businesses, modernization of educational institutions. Here, further development of technical cooperation provided agreement on the joint development and approval of a cooperation program for 2021-2023.

The parties also negotiated on specific areas for cooperation in the near future, including the organization of practical and advanced training of personnel of government bodies of Uzbekistan, the implementation of projects for the reconstruction of the madrasah of the Ibrohimboy Ensemble in Khiva and the mosque of the Ark Complex in Bukhara. They considered the development and implementation of projects on the landscaping of the Aral Sea ares, creation of agricultural training center supported by TIKA and the introduction of digital technologies in the tax and financial spheres of Uzbekistan.

The meeting resulted in agreement on creation of joint working group to form the program for cooperation for 2021-2023, and develop proposals on accelerated implementation of projects under cooperation areas discussed.