On July 1 this year, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan S. Umurzakov held negotiations with President of Lombardy (Republic of Italy) Attilio Fontana via video-conferencing.

The negotiations touched upon the prospects for the development of bilateral cooperation, strengthening of commercial ties, expansion of investment, interregional, cultural and humanitarian cooperation.

The parties noted the importance of intensification of institutional interaction involving the Intergovernmental Working Group on Trade and Economic Cooperation, i.e. a consolidated tool for networking between government agencies and business communities of the two countries. In view of this, they discussed possible holding of the Uzbek-Italian Business Forum in Milan involving the Confederation of Italian Industrialists 'Confindustry' and its regional division in Lombardy 'Assolombarda'.

During the video conference, the parties emphasized that the visit of A. Fontana to Uzbekistan in November last year was a powerful incentive for an increase of interest of Lombardy business circles in the projects in the Republic of Uzbekistan. Currently, there is a number of projects in the oil and gas industry, healthcare, fish farming, as well as the collection and processing of municipal solid waste under development. The parties agreed to join forces to expand common interests of Italian and Uzbek entrepreneurs, while covering the sectors of leather and footwear, jewelry, branded textile and silk products, construction materials and agricultural products.

They separately considered the measures to increase commodity turnover between the two countries by increasing the supply of Uzbek and Italian products.

For reference: The commodity turnover between Uzbekistan and Italy in 2019 increased by 30% and amounted to over USD 400 million. According to the results of January-May this year, the mutual trade amounted to USD 142.9 million and increased by 19.4% compared to the same period last year.

The parties identified the interregional cooperation during the negotiations as promising direction of Uzbek-Italian relations for the transition to a new format of economic and industrial cooperation, and the intensification of business, cultural and humanitarian ties. In particular, the dialogue considered the prospects to attract leading Lombardy companies to major infrastructure projects in Samarkand and other regions of the Republic, create greenhouses and intensive gardens, produce household appliances, jewelry, construction materials, cable, silk fiber, paper, as well as develop livestock and waste processing.

There was a discussion on the development of the cultural and humanitarian areas. Currently, there is a cooperation between Samarkand State University and the University of Insubria ( Como) providing for the exchange of teachers, students and publications, joint seminars and research work. Moreover, there is an active development of interaction between the Republican Higher School of Business and Management in Tashkent and the Higher School of Business at the Milan Polytechnic University for training in project management.

In view of this, the parties considered possible establishment of contacts with he Polydesign Design School at the Milan Polytechnic University to work out an initiative to open the Italian Design Center in Tashkent.

The negotiations resulted in agreements to successively take further steps and measures in order to strengthen and increase bilateral cooperation and achieve specific results within cooperation areas identified.