Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have unveiled $1.3 billion worth of new joint investments as the two Central Asian neighbours intensify economic cooperation and set an ambitious target of raising bilateral trade to $10 billion by 2030.
The announcements came during Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s state visit to Tashkent, where he met with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev ahead of the regional consultative summit. Both leaders stressed that their countries are “strategic partners and allies,” not competitors, underscoring a phase of closer integration.
The presidents remotely launched seven large-scale projects across industry, logistics, petrochemicals, construction, finance, and tourism. A flagship initiative is the “Central Asia” International Industrial Cooperation Centre on the border between Atameken and Gulistan, set to streamline cargo flows, expand production facilities, and cut logistics costs.
Other developments include the new head office of Tenge Bank in Tashkent, a major multipurpose logistics hub, new hotel and residential complexes in New Tashkent and Kazakhstan, and a petrochemical plant in Kashkadarya.
Trade between the two countries has already exceeded $4 billion this year. To reach the 2030 target, both sides are pushing deeper industrial cooperation, preparing an $8 billion programme covering chemical industries, infrastructure, agriculture, and logistics. They also agreed to accelerate regional transport links, including the Uchkuduq–Kyzylorda corridor and increased freight movements through the ports of Aktau, Kuryk, and Khorgos.
Energy collaboration—both traditional and renewable—remains a core pillar, alongside new commitments on water management and environmental protection.
The visit also carried symbolic weight: President Mirziyoyev awarded Tokayev Uzbekistan’s highest state honour, the “High-Ranking Friendship” Order, in recognition of his role in strengthening bilateral ties.
The meeting concluded with a joint statement and 17 new agreements spanning energy, geology, customs coordination, healthcare, tourism, and youth cooperation—further consolidating one of Central Asia’s most significant strategic partnerships.
