Uzbekistan-Italy: Long-term strategic partnership aimed at sustainable growth

On May 28-29, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will pay an official visit to Uzbekistan.

This visit will be important a milestone in the modern history of Uzbek-Italian relations, which began in March 1992. As soon as diplomatic contacts between the two countries were established, the Italian Embassy was opened in Tashkent, and in 1998, Uzbekistan opened its representative office in Rome.

In Florence and Milan, since 2021 and 2023, respectively, the institutions of honorary consulates of Uzbekistan have been functioning, which serve to strengthen and expand the national and economic diplomacy.

Interaction between the two countries has gained new dynamics in recent years. On June 8-9, 2023, the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev made an official visit to Italy, which resulted in the adoption of a Joint Declaration on the establishment of strategic partnership relations between the two countries.

On November 9-11 of the same year, the President of Italy Sergio Mattarella paid an official visit to Uzbekistan.

Political The dialogue is actively maintained and at a high level. In December 2019 and September 2021, the foreign ministers of Uzbekistan and Italy exchanged visits, and in May 2024 they met in Rome as part of the participation in the 3rd ministerial conference “Italy - Central Asia”. It is important to note that Rome was the first among European countries to begin establishing this dialogue at the ministerial level back in 2019.

In addition, the foreign ministries of the two countries regularly hold political consultations.

Interparliamentary relations are consistently developing. Since 2011, parliamentary groups of the Legislative Chamber and Senate have been operating in the Oliy Majlis for cooperation with the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Italian Parliament. In 2012, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis and the Chamber of Deputies of the Italian Parliament. In April 2023, a friendship group “Italy-Central Asia” was also created in the Italian Parliament.

The Italian parliamentary delegation led by the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, Honorary Chairman of the Interparliamentary Assembly of Italy Pier Ferdinando Casini took part in the 150th Assembly of the Interparliamentary Union, held April 5-9, 2025 in Tashkent.

Uzbekistan and Italy also interact within the framework of international organizations and associations - the UN, OSCE, EU and others. Italy supports Uzbekistan's efforts to join the World Trade Organization and conclude an Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with the European Union. The parties are also actively interacting within the framework of the “Italy-Central Asia” dialogue, aimed at strengthening regional cooperation.

Trade and economic relations between Uzbekistan and Italy are showing steady growth. Mutual trade volumes increased from $172.2 million in 2017 to almost $438 million in 2024. This is largely facilitated by the most favored nation treatment in trade between countries, as well as the preferential EM “GSP+” system, of which our country became a beneficiary in 2021.

The Bilateral Intergovernmental Working Group on Trade, Economic, Industrial Cooperation and Export Credits, operating since 1992, also plays an important role in promoting economic cooperation and expanding cooperation between countries.

On the eve of the visit of the head of our state to Italy in June 2023, a meeting was held in Rome Uzbek-Italian business forum with the participation of over 200 entrepreneurs and companies from both sides. As a result, 38 investment agreements, 13 technology partnership agreements and 13 export contracts totaling 9.2 billion euros were signed.

While visiting the country, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev also met with the heads of the largest companies and industrial associations in Italy. The meeting was held in Milan in a round table format.

September 7-8, 2023, the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry of Italy, Francesco Lollobrigida, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy, Edmondo Cirielli, took part in the International Conference on Food Security under the auspices of FAO in Samarkand. And in October 2024, in Rome, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Uzbekistan Alisher Shukurov met with the Minister of Agriculture of Italy Francesco Lollobrigida.

Uzbekistan entrepreneurs regularly take part in such prestigious annual international exhibitions as “Tuttofood” (food, May, Milan), “Macfrut” (fruit and vegetable, May, Rimini), "Simac Tanning Tech" (leather and footwear industry, September, Milan), "TTG Rimini" (tourism industry, October, Rimini) and "Artigiano in Fiera" (applied arts, December, Milan).

55 enterprises with the participation of Italian investments operate in Uzbekistan, including 24 with 100% capital. The offices of 9 Italian companies, as well as the Chamber of Commerce “Italy-Uzbekistan” are accredited with the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan.

With the participation of Italian investments and technologies, projects are being implemented in our country to modernize and reconstruct gas distribution systems, launch luxury rail cruises, grow saffron in the Jizzakh region, develop livestock farming.

The expansion and strengthening of business cooperation is also facilitated by the opening of regular direct flights between Tashkent, Milan and Rome from March 2023.

Cultural and humanitarian cooperation is an important area of Uzbek-Italian relations. Since September 1998, the Uzbekistan-Italy Friendship Society has been operating in our country.

Branches of the Universities of Turin and Pisa are successfully operating in Uzbekistan. In 2023, a branch of the University of Campania named after Luigi Vanvitelli was opened in Bukhara. In September 2024, the first forum of rectors “Uzbekistan-Italy” was held in Tashkent, Bukhara and Samarkand with the participation of heads of 45 Uzbek and 23 Italian universities.

On April 25, 2025, a round table was held in Samarkand with the participation of rectors of higher educational institutions of the two countries, within the framework of which 6 documents were signed in the field of science and education.

2024 in Italy became rich in cultural events¸ dedicated to Uzbekistan. From April 15 to June 30, 2024 in Florence and from April 16 to June 30, 2024 at the Ca Foscari University in Venice, the exhibition “Uzbekistan: Avant-Garde in the Desert” was held. On December 4-9, 2024, the Days of Culture of Uzbekistan were held in Rome, Milan and Viareggio.

Representatives of Italy regularly participate in the Sharq Taronalari International Music Festival held in Samarkand. Representatives of Italy have repeatedly won the Grand Prix and a special prize of this competition.

In turn, in 2018, at the XIX International Film Festival of Asian Films "Asiatika" in Rome, the film "Tahir and Zukhra" was awarded a special diploma for its contribution to the development of world cinema and the promotion of universal values.

For the fifth year in a row - from 2021 to 2025, the National Pavilion of Uzbekistan has enjoyed great success among Italian and foreign guests of the International Biennale of Architecture and Art in Venice. On May 8, 2025, the National Pavilion of Uzbekistan opened at the 19th International Venice Architecture Biennale.

Sports cooperation between the two countries is also strengthening. In Italy there is great interest in Uzbek national wrestling, and therefore the Kurash Wrestling Academy was created in this country. On July 23-24, 2024, the International Kurash Wrestling Tournament for the Cup of the President of Uzbekistan was held in Rome, in which 33 athletes from 17 countries took part.

In turn, the Football Academy of the Italian club Juventus operates in Tashkent.

Cooperation has been established between the equestrian and equestrian federations. cycling sport between Uzbekistan and Italy.

Thus, the parties demonstrate mutual interest in deepening dialogue, increasing trade turnover and developing humanitarian exchanges, which makes the Uzbek-Italian strategic partnership an example of constructive interaction.

In this context, the upcoming visit of Italian Prime Minister Giorgi Meloni to Uzbekistan takes on special significance. It is expected that it will become an important stage in the implementation of agreements reached during previous Uzbek-Italian summits, and will also give new impetus to the further expansion of cooperation, helping to strengthen sustainable ties between the European Union and Central Asia through the prism of bilateral partnership.

IA Dunyo