On June 9, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held official talks in Tashkent with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Gazeta.uz reports.
During the meeting, both sides highlighted the dynamic growth of bilateral relations, noting established political dialogue between the foreign ministries and a rise in business and cultural exchanges.
In May, the two countries convened the first session of their Intergovernmental Commission, laying the groundwork for new areas of economic and technical cooperation.
“Given today’s global challenges and the unpredictable international environment, both parties emphasized the importance of systematic coordination and support through their foreign ministries, including cooperation with European institutions,” the joint statement noted.
Trade, Industry, and Technical Collaboration
The leaders discussed steps to increase bilateral trade, particularly by diversifying the range of goods exchanged. Uzbekistan is expected to expand exports of textiles, agricultural products, electrical goods, chemicals, and polymers, while Slovakia will supply rubber, auto parts, pharmaceuticals, and other industrial products.
The sides also emphasized the need to remove technical barriers to trade and agreed to launch a quantum standardization laboratory as part of signed agreements on technical regulation and metrology.
A major outcome of the talks was an agreement to develop a comprehensive industrial cooperation program with leading Slovak companies, focused on agro-industrial projects, localization of auto parts, pharmaceutical production, and green energy and tourism initiatives.
In the digital and innovation sphere, the two countries proposed the creation of a joint venture capital fund to support IT startup acceleration.
Academic and Cultural Cooperation
In the humanitarian field, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to expanding educational and academic exchanges. Plans are underway to launch joint research programs, including collaboration with Comenius University in Bratislava.
They also agreed to adopt a cultural cooperation program, which will include mutual exhibitions, film screenings, concerts, and museum partnerships.
Labor Migration and Strategic Partnership
The Slovak side expressed strong interest in structured cooperation on organized labor migration, signaling a new area for bilateral engagement.
The talks concluded with the signing of a Joint Declaration on the Establishment of Strategic Partnership between Uzbekistan and Slovakia — marking a new phase in their bilateral relations.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
June 9, 2025