Uzbekistan builders to participate in the construction of a 200-kilometer railway in Serbia
Uzbek builders to participate in the construction of a 200-kilometer railway in Serbia
Uzbekistan's builders will participate in the process of upgrading the railway infrastructure in Serbia, including the construction of a 200-kilometer railway section.
It was revealed that on September 7, ahead of the president's visit, the first meeting of the Uzbekistan-Serbia intergovernmental commission was held. The meeting was co-chaired by the Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan, Laziz Kudratov, and the Minister of International Economic Relations of Serbia, Nenad Popovic. It was also attended by representatives of relevant ministries, departments, and regions of both sides. The agenda covered several priority areas. In particular, issues of information and communication technologies and artificial intelligence, agriculture, light industry, transport, tourism, culture, academic exchange, and labor migration were discussed.
It was also reported that an important step was taken towards further trade liberalization. An agreement was reached to start negotiations on a free trade agreement. This mechanism is intended to ensure the mutual delivery of goods and services, simplify trade procedures, and increase the volume of trade turnover.
"We have reached a number of agreements. First, we have started working on a free trade agreement, which is a mechanism that directly benefits trade. Soon we will complete the work on the draft agreement and sign it, and through this, attractive conditions will be created for Uzbek products in the Serbian market. In addition, we have adopted a separate program on industrial cooperation. Within the framework of this program, we have identified specific projects in light industry, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, geology and metallurgy, and IT sectors," said Laziz Kudratov.
According to the minister, an agreement was reached on the participation of Uzbek railway workers and builders in the implementation of railway projects in Serbia. In particular, in cooperation between the "O‘zbekiston temir yo‘llari" (Uzbekistan Railways) company and the Serbian side, plans are being made to modernize the railway network in the country, including the construction of a 200-kilometer railway section.
"Tomorrow, after the meetings of the two presidents, a protocol on this will be signed. The ministries of transport are currently discussing two projects, two routes, and this is a very big opportunity for us," said the Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade.
Laziz Kudratov emphasized that this initiative is the first historic step for Uzbek builders to enter the European market and implement large infrastructure projects on the continent, creating a solid foundation for continuing such large-scale projects in the future.
It was reported that at the end of the meeting, a joint action plan for the development of industrial partnership for the period up to 2028 was signed.