Uzbekistan and Italy cement strategic partnership with new agreements

On the evening of May 28, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrived in Samarkand, where she was personally welcomed at the airport by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan.

Later that evening, accompanied by President Mirziyoyev, Meloni visited the Registan Square and the “Eternal City” complex. She was introduced to Uzbekistan’s rich cultural heritage through exhibitions featuring traditional crafts and applied arts. The visit also included a cultural performance by local dance ensembles.

The formal welcoming ceremony took place on the morning of May 29 at the square in front of the Congress Center. A guard of honor was present, and military orchestras played the national anthems of both countries. The leaders reviewed the guard of honor and greeted members of the official delegations.

This was followed by face-to-face talks between President Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister Meloni, and a broader session involving official delegations. The discussions focused on further strengthening the bilateral strategic partnership and expanding multifaceted cooperation.

Both sides noted with satisfaction that the agreements reached during the high-level meetings held in Rome in June 2023 were being consistently implemented.

In recent years, the volume of trade between the two countries has nearly tripled, largely due to the diversification of goods exchanged. The number of joint ventures and projects has doubled. Italy’s leading companies have established mutually beneficial cooperation in sectors such as metallurgy, electrical engineering, agriculture, livestock, tourism, and more.

Uzbekistan actively participated in the Venice Biennale and held an exhibition in Florence. In December of last year, Uzbekistan Culture Days were held in Rome and Viareggio.

Branches of the Universities of Turin and Pisa are already operating successfully in Uzbekistan. The second forum of university rectors, held in April, was also deemed productive.

Both parties expressed support for continued political exchanges.

They reaffirmed their commitment to advancing cooperation with European Union institutions, in line with the outcomes of the successful summit held in Samarkand in April. Emphasis was placed on the importance of organizing a "Central Asia–Italy" summit to ensure practical results.

In the area of trade, agreements were reached to expand technical assistance programs for businesses. These include training Uzbek exporters to access the EU market, establishing a joint certification center in Tashkent, and accelerating the adoption of a conformity assessment agreement.

President Mirziyoyev proposed launching a Technological Partnership Program with Italy’s leading companies.

Priority areas for cooperation were identified, including innovative private sector projects, deep processing of critical minerals and agricultural raw materials, production of auto components, electrical goods, energy technologies, food products, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, and the establishment of design centers in textiles, leather, furniture, and other industries.

Such projects may be located within an industrial park in Tashkent region to be operated by a European managing company.

Discussions also covered the creation of a joint investment fund to support projects and involve Italy’s state agencies "SACE" and "SIMEST."

Special attention was given to the development of large-scale scientific and technological cooperation in agriculture, based on a comprehensive roadmap. Prospects for cooperation include viticulture, olive and saffron cultivation, licorice farming, establishment of agrolabs, development of biotechnology, and implementation of agricultural insurance.

To promote new initiatives, the parties agreed to revive the Intergovernmental Working Group and hold its next meeting alongside a business forum.

As part of efforts to expand interregional ties, both sides emphasized the importance of achieving tangible results during the planned visit of Lombardy Governor Attilio Fontana and the first Regional Forum.

In education, support was expressed for the opening of a branch of Tuscia University in Uzbekistan and the launch of dual-degree programs with the Universities of Pisa, Trento, Roma Tre, and Ca’ Foscari.

The two countries also agreed to hold Italian Culture Days in Uzbekistan.

A notable outcome of the visit was the signing of an agreement to establish a systematic partnership in the field of labor migration.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the sides agreed to prepare a comprehensive roadmap for the implementation of all agreements reached.

Following the talks, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni adopted a joint declaration on strengthening strategic partnership relations.

A formal signing ceremony was held for several agreements, including those on:

• Encouragement and mutual protection of investments;
• Cooperation in the field of strategically important raw materials;
• Migration and free movement of people;
• Cooperation on sustainable development, environmental protection, and cultural heritage preservation;
• Partnership with the Climate Fund and the Italian Confederation of Agriculture, and cooperation with companies such as Sogesid and Ansaldo in the field of green development;
• Bilateral agreements with the Universities of Tuscia, Pisa, and Turin.

In addition, a series of documents were signed with the Italian National Research Council, SIMEST, Danieli, the University of Perugia, and other organizations.

As the final part of the high-level visit, a ceremonial event was held at the International Congress Center in Samarkand to dedicate a city street to Rome.

President Mirziyoyev emphasized that this decision reflects the deep historical and cultural ties, the current high level of strategic partnership, and symbolizes the friendship and mutual respect between the peoples of Uzbekistan and Italy.