Foreign Minister had several meetings in London
On February 26, the delegation of Uzbekistan led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov held a series of important meetings and productive negotiations in London with official representatives of the United Kingdom dedicated to priority issues of bilateral cooperation.
In particular, Bakhtiyor Saidov participated in the first Central Asia – United Kingdom Ministerial Dialogue in London, hosted by UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Yvette Cooper.
The Dialogue served as a timely and substantive platform to exchange views on the region’s economic development priorities and to outline prospects for expanding trade and economic cooperation with the United Kingdom. Particular emphasis was placed on trade diversification, industrial cooperation, sustainable infrastructure development, as well as unlocking Central Asia’s potential in strategic raw materials and renewable energy.
In addition, discussions were met with Yvette Cooper, UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on further expanding and elevating the strategic partnership. The talks focused on cooperation in the areas of trade and investment, energy, infrastructure, and regional connectivity, following the signing of Memorandums of Understanding, as well as a Joint Declaration on the Development of Comprehensive Partnership between the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Foreign Minister met with Tim Reid, Chief Executive Officer of UK Export Finance (UKEF). The sides discussed Uzbekistan’s ongoing economic reforms, efforts to further improve the investment climate, and the use of UKEF financial instruments for the implementation of priority infrastructure projects in Uzbekistan. A relevant MOU was signed following the discussions.
A meeting was also held with Ariel Flores and members of the Management Board of BP, during which ongoing energy sector reforms in Uzbekistan, prospects for advancing major joint projects, development of the Ustyurt project, exploration of additional oil and gas opportunities, and expansion of cooperation in renewable energy and advanced technologies were discussed.
As part of the visit, Bakhtiyor Saidov attended an official reception in London with the participation of the leadership of the UK Foreign Office and representatives of leading British business circles. The event brought together representatives of major companies, including Rio Tinto, Rolls-Royce, International Hospitals Group and Intertek.
On the sidelines of the reception, a meeting was held with David Lammy, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, to discuss further strengthening bilateral cooperation and advancing priority areas of partnership.
The visit served to expand direct cooperation with the British private sector, present Uzbekistan’s ongoing reforms, and promote trade and investment projects.
