Launching joint manufacturing projects, expanding investment, and developing integrated digital trade corridors were among the key topics at the Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan Business Forum in Tashkent. The event brought together representatives of government agencies, development institutions, industry associations, and the business community. Kazakhstan was represented by more than 100 leading companies from the construction, light manufacturing, agribusiness, transport and logistics, medicine, pharmaceutical, tourism, IT, and engineering sectors. The parties emphasized that the business community is now becoming one of the main driving forces behind regional economic integration.
«Events like this forum, where Uzbek and Kazakh entrepreneurs communicate directly with one another, are very important. They discuss issues such as transit and phytosanitary permits firsthand, and we convey these issues to our governments through the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan and the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs,» noted Kanat Sharlapayev, Chairman of the Presidium of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Atameken.
The figures also reflect the rapid growth of bilateral economic cooperation. Last year, trade between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan reached nearly $5 billion, with Kazakhstan’s exports accounting for $3.5 billion. The momentum has continued this year. During the first five months, bilateral trade exceeded $2 billion, up 37 percent compared with the same period in 2025. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are now aiming to increase bilateral trade to $10 billion.
«Today, the discussions focused on cooperation in agriculture and industry. This is very important because trade between our two countries has already reached a significant scale, with many Kazakh companies operating in the Uzbek market and many Uzbek companies operating in the Kazakh market. But today, the focus is no longer simply on trade or buying and selling goods. Instead, it is on establishing joint manufacturing to produce goods for export not only to each other’s markets, but also to other countries,» said Alisher Shaykhov, Adviser to the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan.
At the conclusion of the forum, the parties reaffirmed their commitment to further expanding cooperation, implementing joint investment projects, and strengthening industrial cooperation. They formalized these commitments by signing a number of bilateral documents. One of them is an agreement to supply Uzbekistan with products manufactured by Kazakhstan’s Armature-Insulator Plant for high-voltage power transmission lines.
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