Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The International Institute for Central Asia hosted a meeting with Russian Ambassador to Uzbekistan O. Malginov to exchange views on prospects for further interaction.

At the beginning of the conversation, the sides discussed a wide range of issues on the multifaceted agenda between Uzbekistan and Russia, including trade and investment, transport and logistics, labour migration, and paid special attention to cooperation with academic and research institutions. 
The dynamic development of trade and economic bilateral co-operation was noted separately. In particular, over the past few years, the volume of mutual trade between Uzbekistan and Russia has been growing annually by 20% and approached the $10bn mark in 2023.

The sides also advocated the continuation of sustained co-operation within the framework of the «C5+» platform to address important issues in the region and unlock new opportunities, which demonstrates to the world the region's subjectivity and integrity. Such co-operation complements bilateral relations in the region, especially in areas where a regional approach can provide beneficial advantages. 

Thus, the «Central Asia-Russia» Leaders' Meeting held in Astana in October 2022 demonstrated the effective development of multifaceted cooperation between our countries. In order to strengthen regional interaction, President of Uzbekistan Sh. Mirziyoyev put forward initiatives designed to bring the partnership to a higher level in trade and economic, transport and communication, energy, cultural and humanitarian spheres, as well as in the field of environmental protection.

The meeting also highlighted the particular importance of building up comprehensive co-operation between analytical institutions for further exchange of expert assessments, as well as holding joint events, round tables and conferences. 

Today, in accordance with the cooperation agreements, IICA maintains mutually beneficial relations with such research institutions as the Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Support Foundation, the Centre for European-Asian Studies, and the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies. The Centre for European-Asian Studies, the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies and the A.M. Gorchakov Foundation for Public Diplomacy Support.