On March 30-31, 2016 the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, the current Chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Frank-Walter Steinmeier will arrive in Uzbekistan.
Recall that diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and Germany had been established on March 6, 1992.
Over the past years a close political dialogue has been established between the two countries, a solid legal base has been created, regular contacts have been set at various levels.
In particular, inter-parliamentary ties are actively developing, regular visits and meetings of delegations of legislative bodies of the two countries are conducting. Mutually beneficial and constructive contacts contribute to the exchange of experiences in the areas of legislative activity and legal support of ongoing socio-political and socio-economic reforms. German parliament representatives are actively involved in organized international forums in our country.
The Parties shall regularly exchange visits of government delegations. So, in February last year the Uzbek government delegation headed by First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance R.Azimov visited to Germany. Bilateral political dialogue has been continued during the visit of the delegation of representatives of the Women’s Committee and the Oliy Majlis of the republic in Berlin in November 2015.
Consultations between the foreign departments of Uzbekistan and Germany assumed regular character. To date, 12 rounds of political consultations were conducted.
On November 10, 2015 an authorized representative of German Foreign Ministry for Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia Andreas Peschke visited to our country who carried out meetings in a number of ministries and departments.
Bilateral economic and trade cooperation has been intensively developing. This is evidenced by the volume of mutual trade which in 2015 reached 521.5 million US dollars. Germany is one of the leading investors in Uzbekistan – only in the period from 2001 to 2015 German investments and loans in the amount of 784.4 million US dollars were allocated in the republic’s economy.
Successful examples of investment partnership with Germany are the projects for the production of trucks with the company MAN, agricultural machinery with the concern CLAAS and the company LEMKEN, as well as building materials with the company KNAUF and others. Currently totaling 113 companies operate in the country with the participation of investors from Germany, including 27 of them with 100% foreign capital. 36 representatives of German firms and companies were accredited under the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade.
Uzbekistan is an active participant of ongoing major trade fairs and exhibitions in Germany. Thus, the tourism organizations of our country regularly participate in the International Tourism Fair ITB Berlin, annually conducted in the German capital. During the exhibition, Uzbekistan demonstrates its capabilities in the field of travel industry through the organization of its own stand, concert programs, presentations of national cuisine.
The potential of our Republic in the agriculture and food industry is presented in the world’s largest international exhibition of food industry, agriculture, forestry and horticultural farm “Green Week” in Germany. Only the signing of contracts and agreements for the export of fruit and vegetables to European countries and textile products worth more than 91.2 million UD dollars in 2016 shows the fruitful participation of the Uzbek delegation in the exhibition.
An interaction has been established in the scientific-technical and cultural-humanitarian areas. The Institute of Goethe, Konrad Adenauer and Friedrich Ebert foundations, Institute for International Cooperation of the German Adult Education Association, Office of the Coordinator for German language of the Central Agency for Schools Abroad carry out their activities of in Uzbekistan. Large-scale projects have been successfully implemented with their participation in the fields of education, health and others.
Since 2009, the initiative of the German Foreign Ministry “Schools: Partners for the Future” has been implementing in the republic, in which the partner schools and high schools teaching German language will be assisted in strengthening their training and material-technical base.
It should be also noted that much attention is attached to conduct joint research in the field of efficient use of alternative energy sources that Uzbek land is rich in. In this connection, a partnership is established with the Technical University of Dresden, the Center for Research and Development of the University of Bonn, Brandenburg Institute on supporting the development and implementation of new technologies and innovations, as well as other German universities. The results of the research cover solar, photo- and thermal power, wind power, biogas technology.
Accordingly, the next visit of the Germany delegation to Uzbekistan demonstrates the growing interest of Berlin to the expansion and strengthening of mutually beneficial cooperation with Uzbekistan. There is no doubt that the existing potential and opportunities of the two countries will further boost cooperation by lifting it to a new qualitatively level.
Jahon information agency
