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

On 19 September, Tashkent hosted the Uzbekistan–Syria Business Forum, attended by Laziz Kudratov, Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan; Muhammad Nidal al-Shaar, Minister of Economy and Industry of the Syrian Arab Republic; and heads of trade and industry associations from both countries.

The Syrian delegation included executives from more than 30 major companies operating in textiles, pharmaceuticals, food processing, chemicals, agriculture, construction materials, electrical engineering and other sectors. This broad sectoral representation enabled discussions to focus on the most promising areas of trade and investment cooperation.

Speakers emphasised that the forum built on the agreements reached during the intergovernmental talks held the previous day. The signing of the Memorandum on the Establishment of a Joint Economic and Trade Committee and the formation of the Business Council laid an institutional foundation for regular engagement between government bodies and businesses of the two countries.

New exhibition and trade platforms will help foster direct links between companies. A “Made in Uzbekistan” exhibition is planned in Aleppo and Damascus in February 2027, with an exhibition of Syrian products to be held in Tashkent later that year. Particular emphasis was placed on the role of Uzbekistan’s existing Trading House in Aleppo, which is intended to serve as a permanent platform for promoting Uzbek products, identifying partners and developing new initiatives.

The forum also outlined specific measures to support businesses entering the two countries’ markets. Assistance envisaged for Uzbek companies includes subsidies for warehouse rental, certification and transportation costs. Syrian businesses interested in operating in Uzbekistan will receive support in identifying local partners, arranging negotiations and implementing projects.

A working group led by the deputy ministers of both countries has already been established to systematically advance sectoral cooperation. Its work will focus on specific projects, companies and practical solutions. Key initiatives and next steps are expected to be consolidated into a single Roadmap to ensure the coordinated implementation of the planned measures.

The initial results of business engagement were also highlighted: companies have already reached agreements in trade and investment. The main task now is to translate these agreements into contracts, deliveries and investment decisions, while steadily expanding the scope of cooperation.

The business programme continued with B2B and B2G meetings. Discussions focused on specific products and projects, identifying potential partners and agreeing on next steps.