The trade volume with Türkiye, one of the top 5 countries with which Uzbekistan has the most foreign trade, is anticipated to reach 5 billion dollars in 2022, the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
With President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to Uzbekistan tomorrow, the strategic partnership between the two states is expected to be elevated to the highest level.
Diplomatic relations were established on March 4, 1992, between Uzbekistan, which declared its independence on August 31, 1991, and Türkiye, the first country to recognise the state on December 16, 1991. Türkiye and Uzbekistan marked their 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties on March 4.
Türkiye established a diplomatic mission in Tashkent in April 1992, whereas Uzbekistan established an embassy in Ankara in January 1993.
Following Türkiye's recognition of Uzbekistan, which proclaimed its independence, the two states had fluctuating relations for various reasons. President Erdoğan's visit to Samarkand in November 2016 has changed the course of relations, stagnated for many years, between Türkiye and Uzbekistan, one of the key countries in the region due to its geostrategic location, deep-rooted history, rich cultural values, economic potential, the population of over 35 million, and shared borders with all Central Asian countries.
The relations between the two countries were rekindled, and a new era opened in 2016 when President Erdoğan met with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during his visit to Samarkand. Following that, Mirziyoyev became the highest-ranking Uzbek official, as President, to visit Türkiye after 21 years in October 2017.
Thanks to close friendship and political will between the presidents of the two countries, Uzbekistan-Türkiye ties were elevated to the level of strategic partnership in 2017, and Türkiye-Uzbekistan Joint Economic Commission Meetings were conducted for the first time in years. Under the chairmanship of the two leaders, the Türkiye-Uzbekistan High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council was founded in 2018. The first meeting of this Council was held in Ankara in 2020.
The second meeting of the Uzbekistan-Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council is anticipated to take place during President Erdoğan's visit to Tashkent. The strategic partnership between the two states is expected to be elevated to the highest level with the bilateral agreements to be signed during President Erdoğan's visit with a large delegation.
Bilateral trade volume reached 3.6 billion dollars in 2021
While a new era has started in the commercial relations between Türkiye and Uzbekistan, the bilateral trade volume has increased from 1 billion 242 million dollars in 2016 to 2 billion 101 million dollars in 2020 and 3 billion 645 million dollars in 2021.
The trade volume with Türkiye, among the top 5 countries with which Uzbekistan has the most foreign trade, is anticipated to reach 5 billion dollars in 2022, the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Türkiye became the 4th commercial partner of Uzbekistan with a share of 8.1 per cent last year. In 2021, the trade volume between the two countries increased by 70% compared to 2020, hitting 3.6 billion dollars for the first time.
By increasing its foreign trade volume with Uzbekistan by 1.5 billion dollars in 2021 compared to the previous year, Türkiye became the second country, after Russia, to increase its foreign trade volume with Uzbekistan the most.
In 2021, Türkiye's exports to Uzbekistan totalled $1 billion 845 million, while Uzbekistan's imports from Türkiye totalled $1 billion 800 million. While Türkiye mostly exported machinery, electronic goods, furniture and lighting devices, prefabricated structures, motor vehicles, textiles, food and consumer products to Uzbekistan, it imported plastic products, copper, zinc, and cotton yarn from Uzbekistan.
Türkiye became the country with the most companies established in Uzbekistan in 2021
Türkiye became the country with the most companies established in Uzbekistan last year, with 407 companies. The number of Turkish-capital companies operating in the country reached 2 thousand 123 in January 2022. After Russia and China, Türkiye became the third country to establish the most companies in Uzbekistan.
While Turkish companies are mostly established in Tashkent, Samarkand and Fergana regions, Turkish businesspeople are active in Uzbekistan, particularly in the textile, construction, industry, health, trade and agriculture sectors.
There are 40 scheduled flights per week between the two countries
After President Mirziyoyev took office, positive steps were taken to address the visa issue that Turkish businesspeople raised for many years. While the Uzbek government signed a decree in 2017 stating that Turkish citizens would be granted a visa in three days, Turkish citizens were granted a 30-day visa exemption in February 2018.
Mutual visits between citizens of the two countries grew as a result, with the number of Uzbek citizens visiting Türkiye increasing from roughly 150 thousand in 2016 to 300 thousand in 2021. Scheduled flights between the two countries have expanded dramatically in recent years, from 5 times a week till 5 years ago. With the improvement of bilateral relations, the number of routes operated by the two countries' airlines increased, and flights between İstanbul and Uzbekistan's historic cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, Urgench, and Fergana, as well as İstanbul-Tashkent flights, began.
While there are currently 40 scheduled flights per week and four scheduled flights per day between Uzbekistan and Türkiye, it is expected that flights to other cities of Uzbekistan will begin in the near future from Ankara and Antalya, as well as İstanbul.
This year's bilateral trade volume is expected to reach $5 billion for the first time
Experts point out that the bilateral trade volume between the two countries increased by 70 per cent last year and estimate that it will expand by at least 50 per cent this year.
In 2022, when the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations is marked by President Erdoğan's visit, the trade volume between the two countries is expected to reach $5 billion, as previously aimed by the parties.
The Organization of Turkic States' summit for this year will be held in Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan participated in the Summit of the Heads of Turkic Speaking States at the presidential level in 2000 and at the level of the speaker of the assembly in 2001 during late President Islam Karimov's term. After Mirziyoyev's election as president, Uzbekistan rekindled its interest in the Turkic Council after a 17-year hiatus; in 2018, it participated in the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States meeting held in Bishkek. Uzbekistan officially became a member of the Turkic Council in 2019.
Following the restructuring of the Organization of Turkic States, the organisation's summit for this year is planned to be held in Uzbekistan on November 11.