Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš to visit Uzbekistan with major business delegation

The Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Andrej Babiš, is scheduled to pay an official visit to Uzbekistan on April 29-30. Accompanied by a high-level business delegation, the visit aims to strengthen bilateral economic ties and mark the commencement of a significant industrial partnership between the two countries.

AP Photo / Petr David Josek

According to the official website of the Czech government, Prime Minister Babiš will be joined by Karel Havlíček, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade, as well as a delegation of representatives from 50 companies. These businesses span several critical sectors, including energy, transport, mechanical engineering, and the defense industry. The broader regional mission includes stops in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan before concluding in Uzbekistan.

The primary objective of the visit is to promote Czech exports and enhance mutual trade relations. In Tashkent, Prime Minister Babiš is expected to hold talks with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The schedule also includes a Czech-Uzbek business forum designed to facilitate direct dialogue between entrepreneurs from both countries.

Prime Minister Babiš emphasized that this mission reflects the government's priority of economic diplomacy. He noted the importance of having strong, stable partners outside the European Union, stating that the markets of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan are of growing significance for Czech companies looking to expand their export reach and overall trade turnover.

A highlight of the visit will be the official launch of a major project by Škoda in the field of railway transport. Lubomír Frebort, the Czech Ambassador to Uzbekistan, revealed that the project involves the supply and assembly of Škoda electric trains within Uzbekistan. The plan includes the gradual localization of production components. To support this initiative, a Škoda Academy is expected to open at the Tashkent State Transport University to train local specialists for the new industry.

Ambassador Frebort expressed high expectations for the visit, suggesting that the stop in Uzbekistan could be the most successful leg of the regional tour. The ultimate goal, according to the Ambassador, is to identify new opportunities for expansion in investment, industry, trade, and the general economy between the two countries.