Uzbekistan and Bangladesh intend to strengthen cooperation in a number of priority areas

In Dhaka, Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan Jamshid Khodjaev met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh Abul Kalam Abdul Momen.

The parties considered issues of further development of mutually beneficial cooperation in the political, trade, economic, investment, cultural and humanitarian spheres.

Issues of building up cooperation within the framework of the United Nations and other international structures were discussed.

The importance of intensifying trade relations and taking comprehensive measures, including tariff and non-tariff regulation, to increase the volume of mutual trade was emphasized. In this perspective, the relevant ministries and departments were instructed to speed up negotiations on concluding a number of important agreements that stimulate bilateral trade.

The need to establish logistics supply chains and develop proposals for profitable transport routes was noted. In this vein, an agreement was reached to work out a pilot transportation of cargo along the route “Uzbekistan – the port of Chabahar – the port of Chitagon”, as well as to conclude a code-share agreement between JSC “Uzbekistan Airways” and the national air carrier of Bangladesh “Biman Airlines” to organize a connecting flight Tashkent- Delhi-Dhaka and back.

In order to create favorable conditions for mutual visits of representatives of the business circles of both countries, an agreement was reached on holding consultations through the consular services to work out an Agreement on visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic passports, as well as facilitating the visa regime for businessmen.

An agreement was reached on the development of industrial cooperation in the field of chemical, agricultural, food, textile, leather, footwear and pharmaceutical industries, through the creation of joint ventures, including for the export of finished products to the markets of third countries.

Issues of cultural and humanitarian cooperation were touched upon. The parties agreed on the need to develop an Action Plan for Uzbek-Bangladesh cooperation in the field of digitalization in rural areas and in the education system.

The possibility of opening a diplomatic mission of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Dhaka was discussed – a symbolic proposal to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between the countries.

At the end of the meeting, the parties reaffirmed their commitment to an active and ongoing dialogue in order to transfer relations between the countries to the plane of implementing practical projects and programs.