Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — A meeting was held at the Agency for State Assets of Uzbekistan with a delegation led by Bekir Emre Haykir, President of the Republic of Türkiye’s Privatization Administration. Attendees also included the Turkish Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Olgan Bekar, and Deputy President of the Privatization Administration, Murat Ibrahim Celebi.

During the meeting, Director of the State Assets Agency, A. Ortikov, emphasized the rapid development of trade, economic, and investment cooperation between Uzbekistan and Türkiye. Leading Turkish companies are actively participating in the Uzbek market, facilitating the implementation of various projects involving Turkish businesses.

One notable example of successful privatization in Uzbekistan was the 2021 sale of "Coca-Cola Ichimligi Uzbekistan Ltd." to the Turkish company "Coca-Cola İçecek," part of the "Anadolu Group." Following the acquisition, modern corporate and financial management systems were introduced, boosting production capacities and operational efficiency. A new plant was opened in Samarkand in May of this year, and plans are underway to build another state-of-the-art facility in Namangan, which will replace the existing one.

The collaboration between Uzbekistan and Türkiye continues to expand. For instance, a delegation from Uzbekistan visited Ankara from September 23 to 28, 2023, at the invitation of Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The visit aimed to exchange experiences in tourism development, legislation, transport logistics, tourism center organization, and privatization.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at developing bilateral cooperation within the framework of Uzbekistan’s ongoing reforms. The memorandum outlines the adoption of Türkiye’s advanced expertise in managing state-owned enterprises, increasing Turkish investor involvement in privatization processes, and sharing experiences in digitalizing these processes.

A presentation on the State Assets Agency’s activities was also given, highlighting reforms in the privatization sector, achievements, and future plans. Additionally, the E-auksion electronic trading platform and the land plot sales system were showcased.

The Turkish delegation expressed strong interest in Uzbekistan’s E-auksion system and discussed potential collaboration on implementing similar technology in Türkiye. The event concluded with a discussion of joint project implementation mechanisms under the signed Memorandum, along with the next steps for cooperation.