Economic Cooperation

Uzbek-Turkish relations in the field of trade, economic, financial, technical and transport cooperation

I. Trade and economic cooperation. Turkey is one of the largest trading partners of Uzbekistan (takes 4th place after Russia, China and Kazakhstan).

The dynamics of trade for the period 2014-2019:

                                                                                                                                                                                                         in million dollars

In 2019 trade between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Turkey increased by 22.7% compared with the same period in 2018 and amounted to $ 2.52 billion, including export - $ 1.2 billion (+22.7%), import - $ 1.3 billion (+18.8%).

The main export positions: non-ferrous metals and products from them (57.1%), textile products (17.6%), foodstuffs (8.3%), electrical equipment (4.3%), plastics (4.1%), services (4,5%).

The main import items: mechanical equipment (38.6%), electrical equipment (8%), construction materials (6.8%), plastics (5.8%), ferrous metals (5.5%), textiles (5.2%), vehicles (3.9%), foodstuffs (1.8%), furniture (1.6%), pharmaceutical products (1.2%), services (1.9%).

In January-October 2020 bilateral trade volume between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Turkey decreased by 19.4% compared with the same period in 2019 and amounted $ 1.65 billion, including export - $ 785,7 million (-19,8%), import - $ 869 million (19%).

II. Investment cooperation

The number of newly created enterprises with Turkish capital in the last 3 years has increased 3 times. There are, to date, 1 441 registered joint enterprises, 819 out of them are 100% with Turkish capital.

In 2019, the amount of attracted FDI from Turkey to Uzbekistan has reached to $ 506.8 million, including manufacturing sector - $ 211.4 million, construction and services - $ 169.5 million, agriculture and forestry – $ 76.4 million, other economic activities – $ 49.5 million.

III. Financial and technical cooperation

Information on ongoing technical assistance projects with the participation of the Turkish Agency for Cooperation and Coordination - TIKA.

The Turkish Development and Coordination Agency (TIKA) under the Prime Minister of Turkey was established in 1992.

The goal is to provide technical assistance to developing countries in the field of health care, reforming agricultural systems, developing small and medium-sized enterprises, improving the skills of specialists in various fields, organizing international conferences and seminars.

Since 1993 In the Republic there is a representative office of the Turkish Agency for Development and Coordination (TIKA). In Uzbekistan, the agency has already implemented about 730 grant projects worth $ 26.3 million, in particular to promote the development of the healthcare system, agriculture, small and medium businesses, modernize the material and technical base of a number of medical and educational institutions, etc.

During the meeting, they discussed the further expansion of the organization’s activities in the country, noted the need to identify promising areas of bilateral cooperation, systematic development of TIKA activities in Uzbekistan based on specific projects.

In 2018-2020 implemented more than 140 projects worth $ 26 million.

III. Cooperation in the field of transport

Railway transport

At the end of 2019 the volume of rail freight amounted to: export cargo - 34.3 thousand tons (-32%), import cargo - 10.5 thousand tons (+4.2%). Transit of Turkish export cargo through the territory of Uzbekistan - 117.3 thousand tons (+50.9%).

During the first half of 2020 the volume of rail freight amounted to 107.3 thousand tons (+17.4%), including export cargo – 40.9 thousand tons (+92.8%), import cargo -6.3 thousand tons (+74.1%), transit of Turkish export cargo through the territory of Uzbekistan - 60.1 thousand tons (-9.7%).

Road transportation

International road transport of goods between the two countries is carried out in accordance with the Intergovernmental Agreement on International Road Transport of April 28, 1992.

There is a Mixed Commission on International Road Transport. A total of 6 meetings were held, the last one was held on July 10, 2019. in Ankara

At the end of 2019 the volume of road transport of export cargo amounted to 419.1 thousand tons (+36.3%), import - 399.5 thousand tons (+26.9%), transit of Turkish export cargo through the territory of Uzbekistan – 222 thousand tons (+12.5%).

During the first half of 2020 the volume of road transport amounted to 363.3 thousand tons (-25.7%), including export cargo – 158.3 thousand tons (-22.9%), import cargo - 136.8 thousand tons (-25.9%), transit of Turkish export cargo through the territory of Uzbekistan - 68.2 thousand tons (-31.1%).

Air Transport

Cooperation in the field of air transport is carried out in accordance with the Intergovernmental Agreement on Air Transport of June 23, 1994.

At the end of 2019 «Uzbekistan Airways» operated 1,626 flights (+50.8%) to Turkey, 332.7 thousand passengers (+6.2%) and 2.5 thousand tons of cargo were transported (-30.2%).

During the first half of 2020 «Uzbekistan Airways» operated 363 flights to Turkey, 57.1 thousand passengers and 692.2 tons of cargo were transported (-30.2%).