Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 17 April, the Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan Laziz Kudratov took part in the Uzbek-Tajik investment business forum, held in Dushanbe on the eve of the official visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to this country.

The event was co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tajikistan Usmonali Usmonzoda and Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Jamshid Khojaev. The forum was also attended by over 600 representatives of the business community, heads of ministries and departments, industry associations and regional administrations of the two countries.

The highest priority areas for the development of cooperation were identified: metallurgy, mining, development and processing of minerals, development of wind and solar power, hydropower, mechanical engineering and production of electrical products, agriculture and light industry.

Over the past eight years, trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan has increased 3 times to US$750 million in 2023, and since the beginning of the year has increased by 40%.

There are over 370 joint ventures operating on the territory of the two states, although in 2017 their number was only 17.