BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 21. Uzbekistan and
Israel discussed potential cooperation in groundwater management
and critical metals on Sept. 19 in Tashkent.


This was reflected in the statement by the Uzbekistan’s Ministry
of Mining and Geology, following a meeting between First Deputy
Minister of Mining and Geology Feruza Khamidova, ministry officials
and the leadership of Uzbek Technological Metals Plant (UzTMK), and
Israeli Ambassador to Uzbekistan Gideon Lustig and Asaf Shirman,
Israel’s regional financial attaché for Asian countries.


The Uzbek side briefed the Israeli delegation on reforms carried
out in the mining and geology sector in recent years, including the
revised Subsoil Law and measures aimed at improving the investment
environment.


Officials also presented Uzbekistan’s mechanisms for offering
prospective areas to investors through the E-Auksion platform, as
well as the activities of UzTMK and projects in hydrogeology,
industry digitalization and metallurgy.


Particular attention was given to Israel’s potential
contribution to the development of Uzbekistan’s groundwater sector.
The Israeli side expressed interest in cooperation on groundwater
and critical metals, while highlighting Israel’s experience in
hydrogeology.


The sides discussed the possibility of Israeli companies and
experts presenting proposals and technological solutions for the
exploration and use of groundwater resources in Uzbekistan.







The discussions also covered cooperation in critical metals, an
area of growing importance for Uzbekistan’s mining and geological
development.


“The Israeli side expressed interest in cooperation in the
fields of groundwater and critical metals and proposed considering
relevant technological solutions based on Israel’s experience in
hydrogeology,” the ministry said.


The Israeli delegation also highlighted its participation in the
GEOMIN 2026 conference in Uzbekistan and praised the event’s scale
and practical significance.


The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss potential
cooperation between Uzbek and Israeli institutions and companies in
geological exploration, groundwater resources, critical metals and
mining technologies.