Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 15 January, at the "Kasar al-Shati" residence in Abu Dhabi, a meeting took place between the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The talks were held both in a narrow format and with the participation of official delegations from both sides.

At the beginning of the meeting, Shavkat Mirziyoyev expressed his gratitude for the invitation and warm reception, as well as congratulated the Emirati side on the successful organization of the international "Abu Dhabi Sustainable Development Week."

During the negotiations, the heads of state discussed key issues related to deepening the friendly relations and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries. Special attention was given to areas such as politics, trade, economy, investment, innovation, culture, and humanitarian cooperation.

It was noted that Uzbekistan and the UAE share strong historical ties, common values and traditions, as well as the sacred religion of Islam. The visit of the Uzbek leader to the UAE was characterized as an important event that opens a new chapter in bilateral relations and elevates them to the level of strategic partnership.

It was also noted with satisfaction that over the past few years, trade volumes and investments between the two countries have significantly increased, as well as the number of joint ventures. The frequency of direct flights has increased, and a visa-free regime has been introduced, which has contributed to the strengthening of economic and cultural ties.

As a result of the visit, an impressive portfolio of new projects was formed, primarily focused on high-tech industries. In the context of further deepening political dialogue, the sides emphasized the importance of continuing active interaction between the foreign ministries of the two countries.

The leaders outlined six key areas of the new model of economic cooperation. These include: artificial intelligence, digitalization, "green" energy, urban development and infrastructure, tourism, and private business development. To effectively promote each of the priority areas, it was decided to create separate working groups.

The sides supported the initiative to declare 2025–2027 as the "New Era of Economic Partnership Between Uzbekistan and the UAE." Within this framework, the main objective is to increase the volume of mutual trade by ten times and raise the total volume of investments to 50 billion dollars by 2030. An important aspect of future cooperation will be the strengthening of business ties and the expansion of Emirati companies’ presence in the Uzbek economy.

Cultural and humanitarian exchanges were also discussed. The President of Uzbekistan proposed a joint program for training highly qualified personnel and conducting research in the field of artificial intelligence at the Muhammad bin Zayed University.

During the talks, the sides also discussed preparations for upcoming international events, including the second "Central Asia – Gulf Cooperation Council" summit, which is scheduled to take place this year in Samarkand.

Concluding the meeting, the leaders exchanged views on the most pressing issues of the international agenda, emphasizing the importance of further cooperation on the global stage.