Anas Sarwar arrived in Uzbekistan to attend the second meeting of the Uzbekistan–UK Economic Committee. He also delivered a special letter and greetings from UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham to President Mirziyoyev.
The sides welcomed progress in political dialogue and high-level exchanges, as well as cooperation on security matters.
Economic ties have also been gaining momentum. Bilateral trade continues to grow, and 260 joint ventures involving British and Uzbek partners are operating in Uzbekistan. The National Investment Fund of Uzbekistan has also completed its first initial public offering (IPO) on the London Stock Exchange, marking a milestone in the country's efforts to attract international investment.
British companies are active in several key sectors of Uzbekistan's economy, including finance and energy. Standard Chartered operates in the financial sector, while BP has a presence in the oil and gas industry.
Education is another area of expanding cooperation. Three joint higher education institutions have been established, while Uzbekistan's presidential schools work in partnership with the University of Cambridge. The number of British visitors to Uzbekistan is also on the rise.
The talks covered prospective projects in infrastructure, energy, finance, geology, transport, education and healthcare. The sides also discussed the potential role of UK Export Finance (UKEF), the British government's export credit agency, in financing and supporting these initiatives.
The UK side expressed readiness to support plans to establish an international financial center in Tashkent operating under English law.
The meeting concluded with an agreement to develop a joint roadmap setting out concrete steps to advance bilateral cooperation across these sectors.
