Uzbekistan and Slovenia aim to expand technological and industrial partnership

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, at the invitation of President of the Republic of Slovenia Nataša Pirc Musar, has arrived in Ljubljana for an official visit.

At the aircraft ramp, the Head of our state was welcomed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tanja Fajon and other official representatives.

At the Jože Pučnik International Airport, in honor of the distinguished guest, the national flags of both countries were raised and a guard of honor was assembled.

According to the visit’s program, the leader of Uzbekistan will hold talks with the President of the Republic of Slovenia Nataša Pirc Musar, meet with the leadership of the country’s parliament and government, and participate in a joint business forum.

The agenda will include discussions on the development of mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation, the implementation of joint projects in industry, pharmaceuticals, electrical engineering, green energy, and agriculture, as well as cooperation in labor migration and the expansion of humanitarian ties.

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At the Presidential Palace in Ljubljana, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar, held talks in a contracted format and with the participation of official delegations.

The President of Uzbekistan thanked the Slovenian Leader for the warm welcome and emphasized that this first top-level summit in 20 years would go down in history as the beginning of a new stage in bilateral relations.

The talks focused on key issues related to further developing practical cooperation between Uzbekistan and Slovenia.

It was noted with satisfaction that political dialogue, contacts at various levels, and business exchanges have intensified. Mutual support is being provided within the framework of the United Nations and other international organizations.

In recent years, trade turnover has tripled. Cultural and tourism exchanges are expanding, and a visa-free regime is in effect for Slovenian citizens.

Regular dialogue at the highest and senior levels was emphasized to ensure a more structured bilateral relationship.

Particular attention was given to increasing trade turnover, with a goal of reaching €500 million in the initial phase, primarily through expanding the range of goods and promoting import substitution.

This includes exports from Uzbekistan, such as textile products, fruit and vegetable produce, mineral fertilizers, copper products, and other industrial goods, and from Slovenia – pharmaceutical products, advanced technologies, and equipment.

Opportunities will be explored to utilize the potential of Slovenia’s Port of Koper as a logistics hub for access to the European Union market.

Agreements were reached on adopting an Industrial Cooperation Program with leading Slovenian companies, as well as implementing projects for the production of modern equipment, industrial and agricultural goods, the localization of pharmaceutical manufacturing, including products based on honey and medicinal herbs, and the construction and modernization of energy facilities, among other initiatives.

To establish a structured approach to cooperation in labor migration, it was agreed to prepare an Agreement on Organized Labor Migration, including developing training and adaptation programs focusing on language, professional skills, and labor standards.

Tourism development, particularly in rural and mountainous regions, was identified as a promising area of cooperation. In education, the two sides agreed to sign an agreement on mutual recognition of diplomas and to launch joint academic programs with the University of Ljubljana and the University of Maribor.

In addition, a Joint Youth Forum on Innovative Projects will be held next year in Tashkent with the participation of universities and research centers from both countries.

To strengthen humanitarian exchange, the parties expressed support for organizing reciprocal Days of Culture and a Week of Uzbek Cinema in Ljubljana.

To advance all agreed initiatives, it was decided to hold the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission in July this year in Ljubljana.

Following the meeting, the President of Uzbekistan invited the President of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar, to pay an official visit to Uzbekistan at a convenient time.

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As part of his official visit to the Republic of Slovenia, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, met with the Prime Minister, Robert Golob.

The discussion focused on enhancing multifaceted cooperation and practical interaction between Uzbekistan and Slovenia, particularly in trade, economy, and investment.

The fruitful outcomes of today’s high-level talks were highly praised.

The importance of intensifying joint efforts in trade, investment, and industrial cooperation was emphasized. It was noted that the business forum planned during this visit would serve as an effective platform for establishing new contacts and advancing joint projects.

Measures were reviewed to increase trade turnover to €500 million by expanding the supply of high-demand products. The GSP+ preferential trade system and the standardization agreement signed today are also expected to stimulate trade growth.

A Plan for the Development of Industrial Cooperation will be prepared, focusing on technological modernization. In this context, the intentions of leading Slovenian companies to implement projects in Uzbekistan in electrical engineering, instrumentation, pharmaceuticals, green energy, and smart agriculture were welcomed.

A site within a newly established special industrial park for European companies, managed by Inpark, has been proposed for hosting such production facilities.

To establish systematic cooperation in labor migration, an agreement was reached to create a permanent expert group and to develop the necessary legal and regulatory framework.

The parties also agreed to jointly explore the possibility of establishing direct air connections between the two countries and utilizing the infrastructure of the Port of Koper to facilitate access for Uzbek goods to the EU market.

An essential part of the discussions focused on expanding cultural and humanitarian exchanges. Slovenia’s experience in developing eco-tourism, including in mountainous and rural areas, was of particular interest.

The importance of advancing joint educational programs was emphasized, including organizing a Youth Innovation Forum in Tashkent. Reciprocal Days of Culture and a Week of Uzbek Cinema will also be held in Ljubljana next year.

To ensure the practical advancement of the outlined areas of cooperation, an agreement was reached to hold the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission in July this year in Ljubljana.

In addition, to ensure the timely and effective implementation of the agreements reached and documents signed, the governments of both countries will adopt a comprehensive roadmap.

Following the meeting, the President of Uzbekistan invited the Prime Minister of Slovenia, Robert Golob, to visit Uzbekistan at a convenient time.

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Following the talks held in Ljubljana, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Robert Golob, signed a Joint Statement.

A ceremony was held in their presence to exchange bilateral agreements, including:

– on the exemption of holders of diplomatic passports from visa requirements;

– on cooperation in education, science, and culture;

– on cooperation in transport and logistics;

– on cooperation in the management of smart cities;

– on cooperation in standardization;

– on cooperation in water resource management;

– on cooperation in tourism.

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As part of his official visit to the Republic of Slovenia, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, met with the President of the National Assembly of Slovenia, Urška Klakočar Zupančič.

The discussions focused on further developing multifaceted relations between Uzbekistan and Slovenia, including at the parliamentary level.

It was noted with satisfaction that interparliamentary exchanges have intensified in recent years. In April this year, Predrag Baković, Chair of the Committee of the National Assembly of Slovenia, participated in the 150th anniversary session of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Tashkent. Friendship groups have been established in the parliaments of both countries.

Parliamentary cooperation at the level of specialized committees was emphasized as a means to support and accelerate joint projects.

Additionally, the need for parliamentary support of humanitarian cooperation was highlighted, including organizing cultural and film days, exhibitions, and developing academic exchanges between universities.

Coordination and mutual support for initiatives within international parliamentary organizations will also be strengthened.

It was proposed to hold the first Uzbekistan – Slovenia Interparliamentary Forum in the city of Samarkand with the participation of members of parliament and the expert community.

An agreement was reached for the parliaments of both countries to adopt a joint roadmap for future cooperation.

Official web-site of the President of Uzbekistan