GD PM Kobakhidze Visits Uzbekistan

On March 4, Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, accompanied by a GD delegation, arrived in Uzbekistan. During his visit, Kobakhidze met with the Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis (Parliament of Uzbekistan) Nuriddin Ismoilov and the Chair of the Senate Tanzila Narbaeva. On March 5 Kobakhidze also met with Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

“Developing our connectivity function, the Middle Corridor, is one of the tasks, and in this regard, cooperation with Central Asian countries in general, and Uzbekistan in particular, is of great importance,” said Kobakhidze.

According to a press release from the GD government, the 10th session of the Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation between Georgia and Uzbekistan will be held in Tashkent.

The GD delegation includes GD Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Levan Davitashvili, GD Minister of Foreign Affairs Maka Botchorishvili, GD Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure Irakli Karseladze, GD Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Davit Songulashvili, GD Minister of Sports Shalva Gogoladze and the Head of the GD Government Administration Levan Zhorzholiani.

Meeting with Chair of Senate Tanzila Narbaeva

During the meeting with the chair of the Senate, Tanzila Narbaeva, the parties discussed ways to strengthen intergovernmental and interparliamentary cooperation.

Kobakhidze highlighted Georgia’s strategic geographic location as a key link between Europe and Asia, and pointed to the country’s ongoing infrastructure projects aimed at improving regional connectivity. “We are building roads and planning a new international airport in Tbilisi and a port on the Black Sea. These projects align with the Middle Corridor initiative, and we want to maximize our contribution to its development,” he said.

The official press release said that he also underscored opportunities for cooperation in education, science, sport and culture, and cited the historical ties between Georgia and Uzbekistan as a basis for expanding bilateral relations.

Narbaeva welcomed the growing partnership and reiterated Uzbekistan’s commitment to further strengthening ties with Georgia. “Our relations are growing stronger, and I believe that your visit will contribute to further deepening of our cooperation,” she said.

Meeting with Speaker of Legislative Chamber Nuriddin Ismoilov

Kobakhidze met with Nuriddin Ismoilov, Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Parliament of Uzbekistan, to discuss deepening cooperation between the two countries. During the meeting, both sides underlined the strong ties between their legislative bodies and explored opportunities for further economic cooperation.

“Our countries are connected by good economic cooperation, but there is a great opportunity to expand it. Bilateral trade turnover can be significantly improved,” Kobakhidze stated. He highlighted Georgia’s efforts to enhance its role as a regional transit hub, stressing the GD government’s commitment to improving connectivity.

Kobakhidze also underscored the country’s liberal economic policies aimed at fostering a favorable investment climate, including for Uzbek investors. Beyond economic cooperation, Kobakhidze pointed to tourism as a key area of engagement. “There are many areas where we can further deepen cooperation,” he said, citing potential partnerships in the arts, science, education, and sports.

Ismoilov, for his part, praised Georgia’s democratic progress and political stability. “Georgia has already become a model of democratic development and reform,” he said.

Meeting with Uzbek PM Abdulla Aripov

On March 5, Kobakhidze met with Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov. The GD government administration said that “the meeting focused on the positive dynamics of cooperation between the two countries, high-level political dialogue and prospects for deepening partnership in various fields.”

Relations between sectoral agencies and the role of the Georgia-Uzbekistan Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation in further deepening bilateral economic ties were also discussed. It was noted that Georgia and Uzbekistan are “stable trading partners” and that “it is important to fully exploit the existing potential for increasing trade turnover.”

The sides highlighted the importance of economic cooperation and emphasized the stability of their trade partnership. Discussions also focused on investment opportunities, with the GD PM noting the mutual benefits of increased economic engagement.

Kobakhidze said that Georgian interested in deepening trade relations and investment with Uzbekistan. “Your [Uzbek] investment environment can be very attractive to Georgian investors, and Georgia also offers a very interesting investment environment to potential investors,” Kobakhidze stated. He also reiterated Georgia’s commitment to utilizing the Middle corridor for the benefit of both parties, stressing its importance in facilitating regional trade and economic integration.

Aripov reaffirmed Uzbekistan’s commitment to close cooperation, citing growing trade and joint projects. “Cooperation is intense in various economic sectors. Bilateral trade figures are increasing and joint projects are being implemented. Cultural, humanitarian and inter-regional ties are being strengthened.” Aripov said. “The main task of our governments is the timely implementation of agreements to deepen our relations,” he added.

GD FM Botchorishvili Meeting with Bakhtiyor Saidov

As part of Irakli Kobakhidze’s visit to Uzbekistan, GD Foreign Affairs Minister Maka Botchorishvili met with her Uzbek counterpart, Bakhtiyor Saidov, to discuss deepening cooperation between the two nations. The talks on March 5 focused on enhancing trade and economic ties, while also exploring opportunities for collaboration in culture, education, science, and sports. Tourism exchanges were highlighted as a key area for further development, according to a statement from Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ministers also discussed regional security challenges and underlined the importance of promoting peace and stability. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations in a wide range of areas.

10th Session of Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation

The 10th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation between Georgia and Uzbekistan was held in Tashkent on 5 March, focusing on expanding economic ties between the two nations.

Co-chaired by GD First Vice Prime Minister Levan Davitashvili and Uzbekistan’s Vice Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjayev, the meeting explored opportunities for cooperation in key sectors, including transport, tourism, trade and information technology. The establishment of a joint trade and economic working group and the increase of direct flights between the two countries were also discussed.

Davitashvili underlined the importance of the Middle Corridor, stressing its benefits for both nations. He highlighted Georgia’s major transport and infrastructure projects, including the East-West Highway, railway modernization efforts and the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway.

“In 2024, the number of passengers on direct flights between Georgia and Uzbekistan grew by 33%,” Davitashvili said. “It is also worth emphasizing that we have a significant increase in the volume of cargo transported by both road and rail transport.”

The session also addressed cooperation in digital transformation, including broadband infrastructure, 5G networks, and artificial intelligence. Additionally, tourism was identified as a priority sector, with Uzbekistan emerging as an increasingly important market for Georgia’s growing tourism industry.

Officials from both sides emphasized the need to build on the positive momentum and reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the economic and trade partnership.

Meeting With President Shavkat Mirziyoyev

On March 5, GD PM Kobakhidze met with President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to discuss strengthening economic ties between the two nations, with a particular focus on connectivity. The development of the Middle Corridor, a key trade route linking Europe and Asia, was highlighted as an essential area of cooperation.

Georgia’s investment climate was also a key issue, with officials highlighting its attractiveness to foreign investors. A press release noted the potential for investment in sectors such as tourism, energy, real estate, manufacturing, logistics and information technology.

Following the meeting Kobakhdize stated on social media: “I had the privilege of meeting with H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. We engaged in a meaningful and productive discussion on bilateral and multilateral relations between Georgia and Uzbekistan, underscoring the special nature of our ties, which are founded on friendship and mutual respect. We reaffirmed our commitment to deepening cooperation and exploring new opportunities to further strengthen our partnership across both economic and political spheres.”

NOTE: The news was updated on March 5, 2025 at 20:00 to include information about Kobakhidze’s meeting with the president of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Also Read:

• 11/04/2024 – UPDATE: Speaker Papuashvili Visits Central Asia
• 17/07/2023 – Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Visits Georgia
• 19/07/2022 – Georgian PM Visits Uzbekistan
• 11/09/2019 – Georgian, Uzbek FMs Pledge to Deepen Ties
  

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