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

On 2 October, the Uzbekistan–Denmark Business Roundtable was held in Tashkent. The event was attended by Laziz Kudratov, Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The Uzbek delegation was headed by Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev, while the Danish delegation was led by Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Denmark. Heads of relevant government agencies and representatives of the business communities of both countries also took part in the event.

During the dialogue, it was noted that Uzbek-Danish economic relations are becoming increasingly practical in nature. Cooperation experience has already been established in mining, water management, energy, agriculture and manufacturing. The emerging agenda also covers transport and logistics, digital solutions, technological modernization and modern financial instruments.

Taking into account the expertise of Danish businesses, the parties focused on areas where joint cooperation could be further expanded. In the transport sector, discussions covered multimodal and container logistics, terminal infrastructure and modern supply chains. In the mining industry, emphasis was placed on equipment localization, the development of service capacities and the introduction of resource-efficient technologies.

Significant potential was also highlighted in the energy and water sectors. The parties discussed the participation of Danish companies in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, modernization of water supply and irrigation infrastructure, and the introduction of energy-efficient pumping equipment and intelligent management systems. The application of digital solutions in the oil and gas and energy sectors was also identified as a promising area.

In the agro-industrial sector, opportunities were linked to the development of food production, localization and expansion of export potential. Alongside sector-specific initiatives, the parties considered mechanisms for long-term and concessional financing of projects in industry, energy, water management, agriculture, healthcare and logistics.

The participation of leading Danish companies and institutions contributed to the substantive nature of the discussions. FLSmidth, Grundfos, Maersk, AVK International, Scan Global Logistics, Carlsberg, ByteAll Energy and the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO) presented their approaches and initiatives. The discussions focused on technological cooperation, localization, infrastructure development, financing and the establishment of direct ties with Uzbek partners.

To place this work on a systematic footing, the roundtable concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Investments, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Denmark on the establishment of a Bilateral Commission on Trade, Economic and Investment Cooperation. The new mechanism will serve as a platform for regular dialogue between government agencies and businesses, identifying priority areas, advancing joint initiatives and reviewing specific proposals from companies of the two countries.

The business programme continued with B2B and B2G negotiations aimed at further developing the initiatives discussed and establishing new partnerships.