Saratov Region and Uzbekistan Plan to Expand Economic Cooperation

Uzbekistan and Russia intend to deepen direct interaction between their regions, as well as strengthen industrial cooperation, trade, and investment ties. These issues were discussed on October 6th in Fergana during the plenary session of the third Council of Regions of the two countries.

The event began with the reading of messages from the Presidents of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and Russia, Vladimir Putin. The message from the Uzbek leader was presented by the Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Jamshid Khodjayev, while the Russian message was delivered by the First Deputy Prime Minister, Denis Manturov.

Khodjayev emphasized that holding the Council in Fergana is of particular importance for developing interregional ties. He noted that the mechanism of cooperation between the regions of the two states has demonstrated practical effectiveness for more than eight years.

The meeting gathered leaders and representatives from 17 Russian regions, representatives from all regions of Uzbekistan, as well as about 400 entrepreneurs from both countries.

According to Khodjayev, all 14 regions of Uzbekistan maintain stable relations with more than 50 subjects of the Russian Federation. The joint portfolio of cooperation projects exceeds 200 initiatives with a total value of almost 6 billion US dollars.

He stated that this confirms that the regions are one of the solid foundations of partnership for achieving strategic goals.

Manturov reported that since the beginning of 2026, the regions of Russia and their Uzbek partners have organized about 100 joint events, including major business forums in both countries. He also invited participants to Omsk, where the fourth Council of Regions is planned.

The plenary discussion included leaders and representatives from the Fergana, Sunikandaryinsk, and Namangan regions of Uzbekistan, as well as the Krasnoyarsk Krai, Altai Krai, Novosibirsk, and Omsk regions of Russia.

One of the practical outcomes of the meeting was the exchange of four documents: three interregional agreements and one commercial agreement. The Fergana region and the Omsk region signed a cooperation agreement in industry. The Sunikandaryinsk region and the Krasnoyarsk Krai agreed on interaction in the fields of trade, economy, science, technology, culture, and humanitarian issues.

The Namangan region and the Republic of Dagestan approved an action plan for implementing the agreement on trade, economic, scientific and technical, and socio-cultural cooperation.

A separate agreement was signed in the investment sector: the Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan, together with Wildberries, concluded an investment agreement providing for the construction of a Class A logistics complex.

The Council of Regions is considered one of the mechanisms for developing economic interaction between Uzbekistan and Russia. Direct contact between the regions allows the parties to form new business ties and translate interregional agreements into concrete investment and industrial projects.

The Fergana region of Uzbekistan and the Minsk region of Belarus have reached an agreement to expand interregional interaction in the fields of trade, economic relations, investment, and production.

According to the press service of the Fergana Region Hokimiyat, several documents aimed at developing direct ties and launching new joint projects were signed after a meeting of regional leaders.

On September 24, the Hokim of the Fergana Region, Khayrullo Bozorov, received a delegation from the Minsk region led by Alexey Kushnarenko, Chairman of the Minsk Regional Executive Committee. The discussion covered prospects for economic and trade partnership, as well as industrial cooperation.

Bozorov noted that the visit of the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, to Belarus on July 8–9 at the invitation of Alexander Lukashenko gave a new impetus to relations between the two countries.

Participants discussed opportunities for direct cooperation between the regions, taking into account the complementary economic potential of the Fergana and Minsk regions. Representatives of both sides presented the capabilities of their territories in agriculture, industry, trade, tourism, and social spheres.

The Fergana region has potential in textile production, growing and processing fruits and vegetables, industrial production, and human resource provision. In turn, the Minsk region possesses experience in agricultural technologies, animal husbandry, mechanical engineering, and the production of modern equipment.

According to Alexey Kushnarenko, Uzbekistan is one of the important partners of the Minsk region. The parties noted that bilateral trade this year reached 150 million US dollars, which is 28% higher than last year's figure.

The Belarusian delegation included representatives of executive committees, specialists in education, healthcare, and agriculture, as well as heads of enterprises and organizations. The visit program included visits to various centers and enterprises, as well as discussions on investment projects.

After the meeting, the parties identified promising areas for cooperation, including light industry, mechanical engineering, agriculture, and tourism. Projects that have already moved to the stage of practical implementation were also reviewed.

The parties separately proposed that the Volozhin and Fergana districts develop a joint action plan within three months based on the previously concluded friendship treaty. This document provides for interaction and exchange in economic, cultural, and educational fields.

At the end of the negotiations, the Fergana and Minsk regions signed a memorandum on interregional cooperation. An agreement on friendly relations was also concluded between the Volozhin and Fergana districts. Furthermore, another memorandum was signed between the Minsk branch of the Belgorod Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Fergana Regional Office of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan.