Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan Expand Industrial Cooperation
Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan signed a 2026–2028 cooperation plan and multiple sector agreements at a business forum in Bishkek to deepen industrial and trade ties.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) – Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan have deepened their industrial collaboration, as evidenced by a business forum held in Bishkek on July 28. The event culminated in the signing of a cooperation plan for 2026–2028, along with several agreements spanning critical economic sectors.
Key figures in attendance included Erlist Akunbekov, Kyrgyzstan's Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry; Ravshanbek Sabirov, Head of the National Investment Agency under the President of Kyrgyzstan; Laziz Kudratov, Uzbekistan's Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade; and Bakyt Sydykov, Kyrgyzstan's Minister of Economy and Commerce. Representatives from relevant government bodies, development institutions, and companies from both nations also participated.
The forum brought together 115 Uzbek business representatives and 95 Kyrgyz entrepreneurs. Discussions centered on enhancing trade relationships, executing investment projects, and establishing new manufacturing supply chains.
Over the past decade, trade between the two countries has surged more than sevenfold, reaching US$1.2 billion. From January to June 2026, bilateral trade saw a 1.5-fold year-on-year increase, totaling US$625 million. Forum participants expressed confidence that sustaining this growth trajectory would enable both nations to achieve their US$2 billion annual trade target as early as 2027.
Significant attention was directed toward investment cooperation and industrial partnerships. Approximately 450 enterprises with shared capital are currently operating in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, with joint ventures in progress across automotive manufacturing, textiles, healthcare, agriculture, and other sectors.
The Uzbek-Kyrgyz Development Fund continues to be a vital instrument for supporting joint projects, presently backing 28 initiatives in transport and logistics, light industry, construction materials manufacturing, energy, and financial services.
Both sides identified agro-industrial cooperation, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and electrical engineering as priority areas. In agriculture, plans include seed production, potato and rice cultivation, livestock farming, and intensive horticulture.
Within the textile sector, the countries aim to expand cooperation in processing wool and leather, as well as manufacturing finished goods. Pharmaceutical discussions focused on merging production capabilities to broaden medicine offerings and access external markets. In the electrical engineering industry, the emphasis was on localizing components, forming joint ventures, and promoting products to third-country markets.
As part of the business agenda, entrepreneurs engaged in targeted negotiations on projects in agriculture, food processing, textiles, construction materials, furniture manufacturing, electrical engineering, pharmaceuticals, energy, mining, logistics, tourism, finance, and trade.
The two nations also committed to maintaining direct interregional contacts and agreed to host the inaugural joint Uzbek-Kyrgyz Regional Forum in Uzbekistan before the end of 2026.
The meeting concluded with the signing of an Action Plan for developing cooperation between Uzbekistan's Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade and Kyrgyzstan's National Investment Agency under the President for 2026–2028.
Additionally, agreements were exchanged concerning the promotion of electrical engineering products, seed production, agricultural science, energy, healthcare, hydraulic engineering construction, and the development of industrial zones.