BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. Uzbekistan and
Italy’s Tuscany region agreed to draft and adopt a comprehensive
joint roadmap to outline concrete projects.
This was announced in a statement published by the press service
of the Uzbek president, following the meeting between President
Shavkat Mirziyoyev and an Italian delegation led by the Governor of
Tuscany, Eugenio Giani, in Tashkent on July 14.
"The meeting focused on strengthening the Uzbek-Italian
strategic partnership, with a particular emphasis on trade,
investment, cultural exchanges, and expanding direct interregional
cooperation," the press service of the Uzbek president says.
According to the statement, in the course of the meeting, the
sides noted with satisfaction the rapid expansion of bilateral
ties, highlighting a 25% increase in mutual trade since the
beginning of this year. Leading Italian firms are currently
executing projects across Uzbekistan in metallurgy, energy,
agriculture, and chemical production.
During the meeting, the historical depth of the relationship was
highlighted, referencing trade links between Florence and ancient
Uzbek cities during the Silk Road era.
Key highlights of modern cooperation include:
The branch of the University of Pisa in Tashkent, which is
graduating its first cohort of students this year.
An Uzbek textile trading house operating in the Italian city of
Prato.
A major exhibition of Uzbek avant-garde art hosted at the Uffizi
Gallery in Florence in 2024.
President Mirziyoyev and Governor Giani identified strong
potential for industrial collaboration in textiles, leather
production, food processing, jewelry, and construction materials,
as well as joint programs in tourism and education.
To formalize these initiatives, Tuscany and Uzbekistan's Bukhara
region have signed a cooperation agreement.
Tuscany stands as one of Italy's most economically advanced
regions, characterized by high-tech manufacturing, modern
agriculture, and world-renowned cultural tourism centered around
its capital, Florence.
