Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 12 April, the International Institute of Central Asia together with the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan will hold an international conference in Dushanbe on the topic “Uzbekistan and Tajikistan: new prospects for strategic partnership and alliance.”

Today, Uzbek-Tajik relations have entered a period of dynamic development. Bilateral contacts have intensified at all levels, mutually beneficial cooperation in the political, trade and economic spheres, as well as cultural and humanitarian ties, are expanding. Since 2017, it has been possible to increase mutual trade more than threefold, and in the coming years it is planned to increase trade turnover to US$1 billion.

In this, undoubtedly, the relations of friendship, mutual respect and trust established between the Heads of State play a key role. Under their leadership, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan reached a completely new level of interstate interaction.

To further strengthen the strategic partnership and filling it with practical content requires active, joint efforts of government and business circles, as well as expert communities.

The purpose of the upcoming conference is to discuss the prospects for the development of bilateral relations, develop practical proposals for expanding cooperation in the fields of trade, industry, transport, ecology and water use, agriculture, education, as well as strengthen cultural and humanitarian interaction.

The event will be attended by leading think tanks and research institutes, representatives of ministries and departments of the two countries.

In addition, during the stay of the delegation of Uzbekistan in Dushanbe, bilateral meetings are planned at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Institute for the Study of Asian and European Problems of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan (NANT), the Institute of Economics and Demography of NANT and others.

The day before, a pre-departure meeting was held at the International Institute of Central Asia with members of the Uzbek delegation participating in the planned conference in Dushanbe, as well as negotiations in the relevant ministries and research institutions of Tajikistan, in order to discuss the content and organizational issues of the upcoming events.