Uzbekistan–Türkiye Strategic Partnership Enters a New Era of Growth: President Shavkat Mirziyoyev Visit to Türkiye
The fourth meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council between Uzbekistan and Türkiye was a step towards the further improvement of bilateral relations which reflect the common vision of long-term cooperation, regional stability, and sustainable development. Chaired by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the meeting was intensely symbolic because it was held on the 30th anniversary of the Treaty on Eternal Friendship and Cooperation.
The officials involved in the dialogue were highly politically aligned and they had trust in each other and they were both pleased by the fact that the positions of both sides were getting closer on major international and regional matters. The fact that they have been particularly committed to supporting each other in major international and regional institutions, such as the United Nations, the Organization of Turkic States, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Economic Cooperation Organization, proves that they have a common role in creating a harmonious and stable world order.
The partnership is performing encouragingly in terms of economic performance. The bilateral trade has topped over $3 billion with a goal that is highly ambitious but reachable in the next few years at $5 billion. The gradual increase of joint venture which currently reaches over 2,200 and the $10 billion invested is an indicator of the contributions of Türkiye as a major economic partner of Uzbekistan. The increasing list of projects with total value of $9 billion also speaks of the trust of Turkish companies in Uzbekistan in terms of economic reforms and business environment.
The emergence of industrial and regional cooperation became one of the key pillars of the talks. The new areas of the priorities to cooperate are also drawn, and the visits of the delegations representing all regions of Uzbekistan to Türkiye promise a new way of building partnerships based on the grassroots level. This is to be seen as regional participation that will breed innovation, employment, as well as cementing local economies across the board.
In addition to trade and industry, the leaders were very keen on the people to people relationships and cultural diplomacy. The programs like co-production of theater performances, film making, preservation of cultural heritage, and the growth of pilgrimage tourism will help in enhancing the understanding between the two countries and strengthen the cultural ties between the two countries. The next fourth Rectors Forum, scheduled in Bukhara in the education sector is an indication of an attitude to give life to academic co-operation and involvement of the youth.
The move to use a detailed roadmap after the council meeting is something that guarantees that the agreements arrived at will be transformed into action. The frequency of council meetings and the creation of more coordination in the form of intergovernmental mechanisms is helping both countries to build the groundwork of a results-oriented and future-oriented partnership.
So I would like to say that this meeting marked the beginning of a new qualitative era of Uzbekistan-Türkiye relations, the era of strategic orientation, economic dynamism, and cultural unity. As the two countries are still working on the history and mutual respect, the relationship between them is one of a kind of cooperation in the Turkic, Islamic world and at the global scale.
