Minister Laziz Kudratov holds high-level talks and signs key agreements to enhance trade, infrastructure, and private sector growth at the IV Tashkent International Investment Forum.
Tashkent, 11 June 2025 – As part of the IV Tashkent International Investment Forum, the Minister of Investments, Industry, and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Laziz Kudratov, held a series of bilateral meetings aimed at advancing economic cooperation and securing strategic investments.
A notable meeting took place with Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nooruddin Azizi, during which the parties agreed to deepen collaboration across trade, industry, agriculture, transport, and logistics. The talks concluded with the signing of two significant documents: a Preferential Trade Agreement and a Cooperation Programme in Trade, Economic, and Industrial Spheres for 2025–2026.
In another key engagement, Minister Kudratov met with Nobumitsu Hayashi, Governor of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). JBIC reaffirmed its role as a strategic partner in fostering Uzbekistan’s private sector, with the joint project portfolio now reaching $3.7 billion. Investments span energy, telecommunications, petrochemicals, and infrastructure, with current discussions centred on expanding public-private partnerships and non-sovereign financing, including collaborations with companies such as Toyota Tsusho, NEC, and Sumitomo.
JBIC also expressed strong interest in renewable energy and healthcare, particularly in supporting the development of solar and wind power plants in Samarkand and Karakalpakstan, and the construction of a multidisciplinary 800-bed hospital in Samarkand in partnership with Sojitz, valued at $250 million.
Further cementing international cooperation, Minister Kudratov participated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) and the OPEC Fund for International Development, committing a total of $500 million to support Uzbekistan’s private sector development from 2025 to 2030. To date, 16 projects worth $374.95 million have been realised under this cooperation, with eight more projects worth $292.41 million currently underway.
The forum also saw a significant development in the tourism sector. A major investment agreement was signed with Agalarov Development, an Azerbaijani company, to launch the Sea Breeze Uzbekistan project — an all-season resort in the Bostanlyk district of Tashkent region. With a projected cost of $5 billion and 577 hectares allocated, including 100 hectares in the first phase, the initiative is set to bolster tourism infrastructure, generate employment, and attract international visitors. Both parties underscored their commitment to the timely and high-quality implementation of the project.
The day’s events reflected Uzbekistan’s proactive approach to building long-term economic partnerships and attracting foreign investment, underscoring its growing role as a strategic hub in Central Asia.
Source: IN Diplomacy Reporters
