BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 28. Uzbek President
Shavkat Mirziyoyev received the credentials of Rashad Mammadov,
Azerbaijan's newly appointed ambassador to Uzbekistan, during a
ceremony for foreign envoys in Tashkent on Monday.
This was reflected in the statement by the press service of the
Uzbek president.
Addressing the Azerbaijani ambassador, Mirziyoyev said relations
between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan had reached the level of a
strategic partnership and alliance, driven by the political
commitment of the two countries' leaders.
According to the president's office, bilateral trade has
increased by 40%, the number of joint ventures has reached nearly
450, and freight transportation between the countries has
doubled.
Mirziyoyev also highlighted the two governments' goal of
expanding their joint investment portfolio to $10 billion in the
near term.
"The upcoming meetings at the highest level will give new
impetus to bilateral cooperation," the president said, according to
the statement.
Mammadov was among nine newly appointed ambassadors who
presented their credentials to the Uzbek president. During the
ceremony, Mirziyoyev said the role of diplomats was becoming
increasingly important amid rising geopolitical tensions and urged
the envoys to work closely with Uzbekistan's private sector and
regional authorities to strengthen bilateral partnerships.
The appointment follows Mammadov's presentation of copies of his
credentials to Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov earlier this
month. Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan have significantly expanded
political and economic cooperation in recent years, with the two
countries pursuing deeper collaboration in trade, investment,
transport and logistics.
