On May 29 this year the business forum of business circles of Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates was held in Tashkent, the news agencies reported.

The Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade of Uzbekistan and Ministry of External Trade of the United Arab Emirates organized the forum. The event dwelled on further extending the trade, economic and investment cooperation between Uzbekistan and the Emirates.

The heads of various ministries and agencies, companies and concerns of the two states engaged in such spheres as foreign economic relations, trade, oil and gas, banking and finances, construction, car making, farming and water economy, food, chemical, light and textile industry, pharmaceuticals, transport and transport communication, culture and tourism participated at the forum.

The First Deputy Minister of Foreign Economic Relations, Investment and Trade of Uzbekistan N.Najimov and the Emirates Minister of External Trade Ms. Lyubna bint Haled al Kasemi who spoke at the forum have said that the agreements achieved during the meetings of heads of two states served as an important legal basis to extend cooperation between Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates in all spheres, including the trade and economic areas.

At the forum the Emirates entrepreneurs were informed in detail on the priority directions of attracting the investments to Uzbekistan’s economy. The UAE businesspeople have learned about massive privatization now underway in Uzbekistan, fundamental reforms in developing economy, as much as transformations in the area of expanding the small business and private entrepreneurship.

Over ten large Emirates companies took part at the forum. In particular, such companies as Masdar (in the sphere of energy), Tani, Emaat Industries and Investments (construction and investments), Mubadala (oil, gas and chemical industry), and ADNOC (polymers production) spoke of their intentions to expand their operations in the Uzbek market.

Also, in Tashkent the Emirates businesspeople visited various ministries and agencies of Uzbekistan where they held talks on expanding the bilateral cooperation.

Zafar Abdughaffarov for the Information Agency “Jahon” in English