Uzbekistan and Serbia: A Year of Rapid Convergence

**Uzbekistan and Serbia: A Year of Rapid Convergence**

Diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and Serbia were established more than 30 years ago, but for a long time they barely developed. Since October last year, interaction has noticeably revived: during two mutual high-level visits, the parties signed dozens of documents, announced a strategic partnership, and began discussing free trade and new conditions for labor migration.

Serbia recognized the independence of Uzbekistan at the end of 1991, and diplomatic relations between the countries were established on January 18, 1995. But for almost the next three decades, contacts remained rare.

The first-ever visit of a Serbian Foreign Minister to Uzbekistan took place in April 2023. Ivica Dačić, then First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, visited Tashkent, Bishkek, and Dushanbe in a single trip.

Uzbekistan and Serbia do not have embassies in each other's countries. Ties are maintained through the mutual accreditation of ambassadors working in third states. Thus, citizens of Uzbekistan apply for Serbian visas through Astana. The first Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Serbia began his work in July 2025.

Oybek Shakhavdinov, Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Hungary, is concurrently accredited to Slovenia, Croatia, and Montenegro.

Serbia's representation in Uzbekistan operates under a similar scheme. In October 2025, Ambassador Momčilo Babić presented copies of his credentials to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, Bakhtiyor Saidov. He succeeded Miroslav Lazanski, who had served since April 2021. Since February 2022, Babić has been Serbia's Ambassador to Russia and is concurrently responsible for Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan.

The first meeting between the leaders of Uzbekistan and Serbia did not take place until 2025. President Aleksandar Vučić arrived in Uzbekistan on an official visit on October 28. This was the first visit of a Serbian president to Uzbekistan — Head of State Shavkat Mirziyoyev called it the first summit in the entire period of cooperation. The meeting and the intensification of dialogue were timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

The parties identified mechanical engineering, pharmaceuticals, the chemical industry, information technology and digitalization, the agro-industrial complex, and tourism as development priorities. They separately emphasized the importance of new transport routes "Central Asia — Balkans", including within the framework of the Trans-Caspian Corridor. The leaders also discussed organized labor migration, as well as the cultural-humanitarian and educational spheres.

Following the negotiations, a package of more than 10 intergovernmental and interdepartmental documents was signed. It included agreements on the mutual promotion and protection of investments, economic cooperation, medical services, tourism, education, science and culture, and cooperation in engineering, advanced technologies, and artificial intelligence. In addition, the parties decided to establish an intergovernmental commission on trade, economic, scientific, and technical cooperation.

According to the National Statistics Committee, Uzbekistan's foreign trade turnover with Serbia in 2025 amounted to 12.6 million dollars. In 2021, the figure was at 6.8 million, in 2022 it rose to 15.9 million, then decreased to 12.8 million in 2023, and has since remained around 12.6 million. The main share comes from Serbian supplies. In 2025, Uzbekistan supplied goods worth 1.2 million dollars to Serbia, and received goods worth 11.4 million.

According to preliminary data from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, motor oils, aluminum foil containers, hydraulic systems, barrels, paper, and cardboard are supplied from Serbia to Uzbekistan. Almost a third of the supplies consist of food processing equipment. From January to July 2026, Serbian exports of agricultural and food products to Uzbekistan increased by 54.1%.

Uzbekistan exports T-shirts and cotton T-shirts, men's shirts, trousers, and shorts to Serbia. Mineral fertilizers, textile raw materials, and dried fruits are also among the leading positions. There are 10 enterprises with Serbian capital operating in Uzbekistan. They are engaged in the production of building materials, trade, services, mechanical engineering, and furniture manufacturing. Seven entities owned by citizens of Uzbekistan or Uzbek legal entities are registered in Serbia.

In the first half of 2022, the Agency for External Labor Migration named Serbia as a new destination for official labor migration and reported 410 employed individuals.

The scale of organized recruitment to Serbia remains small. At the same time, according to the Serbian side, Uzbeks make up the fifth largest group of foreign workers in Serbia. They are mainly employed in construction, public catering, delivery, and the service sector.

The first document between Uzbekistan and Serbia in the field of labor migration was signed on October 28, 2025, on the day of the presidential negotiations. The memorandum is aimed at ensuring the legal employment of foreign citizens, protecting their rights, and preventing illegal labor migration.

On May 19, 2026, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Olimjon Abdullaev met with the Minister of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Policy of Serbia, Milica Stamenkovski. The meeting discussed the preparation of an intergovernmental agreement on migration, the simplification of visa procedures, and countering illegal migration.

The Serbian side is interested in attracting specialists from Uzbekistan to the construction of facilities for the EXPO 2027 exhibition. According to Stamenkovski, from the beginning of 2027, the minimum wage in Serbia will be 600 euros, and by the end of the year it is expected to increase to 650 euros.

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrived in Belgrade on September 7, 2026. In thirty years of diplomatic relations, this is the first visit of a President of Uzbekistan to Serbia.

On the same day, the first meeting of the intergovernmental commission took place. The main economic outcome was work on a free trade agreement, which had not existed between the countries until now. According to the head of the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade, Laziz Kudratov, the future agreement provides for a zero rate for all goods on a parity basis.

As part of the visit, an Uzbek-Serbian business forum was also held in Belgrade, gathering more than 200 participants. Speaking at the forum, Shavkat Mirziyoyev named five priority areas of cooperation for Uzbekistan: mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, pharmaceuticals, light industry, agriculture, and the digital economy. For each area, specific Serbian companies were named to which Uzbekistan proposes to locate production on its territory, including Goša FOM in mechanical engineering, Galenika and AbelaPharm in pharmaceuticals, and textile enterprises Yumco and Luss Textile in light industry.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Aleksandar Vučić signed a joint declaration on establishing strategic partnership relations and a package of 20 documents. In addition, a document on mobility and labor migration was signed. It means that Uzbek citizens will work in Serbia under the same conditions as local residents, and with the same scope of labor rights. The previous memorandum did not provide such guarantees and did not establish the employment procedure. According to the Minister of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs of Serbia, Milica Đurđević-Stamenkovski, this is the first such document concluded by Serbia with a foreign state.

Speaking at the business forum, Aleksandar Vučić also announced

Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced there the opening of a special diplomatic mission of Uzbekistan in Belgrade. Serbia, in turn, plans to open an embassy in Uzbekistan, which will simplify visa processing. The parties also agreed to accelerate the launch of direct flights between the capitals.

The visit was also accompanied by symbolic gestures. Aleksandar Vučić presented Shavkat Mirziyoyev with the Order of the Republic of Serbia on a Grand Collar, the country's highest state award, and one of the streets in Belgrade was named "Tashkent".