BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. Czech Prime
Minister Andrej Babiš will pay an official visit to Uzbekistan on
April 29-30 as part of a regional tour of Central Asia and the
South Caucasus.


Accompanying him will be a substantial business delegation,
including First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and
Trade Karel Havlíček, as well as representatives from approximately
50 Czech companies. The principal objectives of the visit are to
strengthen trade and economic relations, promote Czech exports, and
facilitate the initiation of new industrial projects.


The visit underscores Prague’s increasing focus on Uzbekistan as
one of the most promising markets within Central Asia, reflecting a
gradual shift in bilateral relations from conventional trade toward
deeper industrial and technological collaboration.


A key event of the program will be a meeting between Prime
Minister Babiš and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, complemented by
the Czechia-Uzbekistan Business Forum. The forum is anticipated to
provide a platform for direct negotiations between enterprises from
both countries and discussions regarding joint investment
initiatives.


Economic engagement remains the principal driver of closer
bilateral relations. By the end of 2025, trade turnover between
Uzbekistan and the Czech Republic amounted to $190.4 million.
Although this represented a decrease from the 2024 figure of $434.7
million, the decline was primarily attributable to the completion
of major deliveries of Czech machinery and transport equipment.
Nevertheless, total trade remained nearly three times higher than
in 2018, demonstrating sustained long-term growth. In the period
from January through February 2026, trade turnover recorded a
further increase of 5.3%.


Currently, 44 enterprises with Czech capital operate in
Uzbekistan, spanning sectors including mechanical engineering,
pharmaceuticals, the chemical industry, construction, agriculture,
logistics, and information technology. For Prague, this presents an
opportunity to consolidate its presence in a rapidly expanding
market, while for Tashkent, it represents a means of attracting
European technologies, investment, and managerial expertise.


A key practical outcome of the ongoing visit may be progress on
the Škoda Transportation project to supply and assemble electric
trains in Uzbekistan. The initiative envisages the localization of
production, with components gradually manufactured domestically. In
addition, the establishment of the Škoda Academy at Tashkent State
Transport University is under consideration to train engineers and
technical specialists.


In 2023, Uzbekistan Railways and Škoda formalized a contract for
the supply of 30 electric trains valued at €320 million.
Concurrently, Uzbekistan Airways committed to the acquisition of
Czech LET L-410 aircraft for domestic routes. These agreements
signified a transition from preliminary memorandums to concrete
commercial transactions.







The Czech Republic has also demonstrated notable interest in
Uzbekistan’s raw material resources and industrial potential.
Prague offers advanced technologies in geological exploration,
mineral extraction, raw material processing, water management, and
energy efficiency. In light of the growing global demand for
critical minerals, this sector is poised to become one of the most
promising areas of bilateral cooperation.


Digital collaboration is likewise expanding. Czech enterprises
regard Uzbekistan as a strategic platform for IT outsourcing,
service centers, and the implementation of joint technological
initiatives. Moreover, cooperation in the domains of
standardization, metrology, and technical regulation provides a
framework for industrial collaboration and facilitates access to
international markets.


A systematic mechanism for bilateral dialogue remains the
Intergovernmental Commission on economic, industrial, and
scientific-technical cooperation. Its tenth meeting took place in
March 2025 in Prague, where the sides discussed joint production,
long-term financing, and new projects in transport,
pharmaceuticals, electrical engineering, tourism, and
education.


For Uzbekistan, the Czech Republic is attractive not only as an
individual market but also as a gateway to the European economy.
The Czech Republic maintains strong industrial positions and ranks
among Europe’s most developed manufacturing economies. For the
Uzbek side, this means access to modern technologies, equipment,
and EU production chains.


Politically, the visit is also significant. It confirms Prague’s
intention to strengthen ties with partners beyond the European
Union while demonstrating Tashkent’s growing multi-vector foreign
economic policy.


It is expected that new agreements may be signed following the
trip in industry, transport, investment, and workforce training. If
the announced projects move into the implementation stage, the
Czech Republic could establish itself among Uzbekistan’s key
European industrial partners.


The main question now is whether the two sides will be able to
transform the current high political interest into a large-scale,
long-term investment. If so, this visit could become a turning
point in Uzbek-Czech relations and elevate them to a fundamentally
new level.