Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan

On June 16, as part of the 5th Anniversary Tashkent International Investment Forum, a major economic event - the “American-Uzbek Business Forum” - was held in the Kokand Hall of the CAEx Uzbekistan exhibition center. The forum, dedicated to developing the country’s investment potential, featured simultaneous interpretation in both Russian and English. It was aimed at elevating trade and economic relations between the two countries to a new level, expanding investment cooperation in strategically important sectors, and creating new jobs.

In his opening remarks, the Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Laziz Kudratov, stated:

“Today, 193 American companies are represented at the Tashkent International Investment Forum — this is an absolute record and the largest U.S. business delegation in the entire history of bilateral relations between our countries. This signals that American business views Uzbekistan not only as a market but also as a long-term investment partner.”

According to the agenda, the dialogue began with a high-level panel session and a “Fireside Chat” discussion titled “Innovation, Investment, and Jobs: New Horizons of U.S.-Uzbek Cooperation.” A constructive and practical dialogue was established between the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan, leading U.S. financial agencies, and representatives of major American businesses.

During his speech, the Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Ben Black, noted:

“Central Asia is a dynamically developing region with a population of over 100 million people. We see enormous potential in the region and are ready to engage with it more actively. Today, the United States is prepared for deeper and longer-term cooperation.”

The President and Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM), John Jovanovic, noted that the bank’s participation strengthens the financial and expert dimension of the partnership and contributes to the more active introduction of American technologies, equipment, and services into Uzbekistan’s private sector. He emphasized the importance of the current moment as a rare opportunity to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, and also drew attention to the unprecedented scale of participation by American companies in the Tashkent Investment Forum.

As another important part of the forum program, special panel discussions were organized on the topic “Critical Minerals and Advanced Technologies: The Foundation of Future Industrial Development.” During the session, leaders of global corporations in technology, financial services, agricultural engineering, and aviation exchanged practical views on prospective projects in the Uzbek market, the implementation of technological solutions, and issues of long-term industrial development.

Senior Vice President of FLSmidth, Peter Flanagan, stated that the mining sector is one of the key drivers of economic development, international cooperation, and national prosperity for Uzbekistan. He also noted that the rapid pace of modernization and industrial development in the country - including the launch of the MOF-3 copper beneficiation complex at AGMK - is creating new opportunities and attracting international partners from around the world.

Within the framework of the forum, agreements were signed in the fields of industry, oil and gas, finance, aviation, geological exploration, satellite communications, and the development of digital infrastructure.