Meeting with Italy’s Deputy Foreign Minister

On December 12, 2019, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov met with Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic Manlio Di Stefano, in Rome.

A wide range of issues on bilateral agenda, as well as interaction within the UN, the format of “Uzbekistan – the European Union” was considered at the meeting.

The parties confirmed their readiness to build up cooperation on a mutually beneficial basis in the political, trade, economic, investment, tourism, cultural and humanitarian fields.

It was emphasized that the adoption in June of the new EU Strategy for Central Asia, the joint work on the draft Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Uzbekistan and the European Union create a favorable basis for more fully realizing the existing potential for expanding ties on a long-term basis.

Practical results of the 6th meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group held in May in Rome, during which an agreement was reached on the joint implementation of 10 projects worth 330 million USD, were stated with satisfaction. A priority issue on the general agenda is bilateral trade, which over the 9 months of this year grew by 15% and exceeded 320 million USD.

The parties also noted the importance of increasing tourism and enhancing cultural exchanges between the two countries, including in the fields of music and visual arts, theater and cinema within the framework of Uzbekistan Culture Days in Italy and of Italy in Uzbekistan in 2020-2021.

The schedule of Uzbekistan – Italy contacts and joint events planned for 2020 was also discussed at the meeting.