Samarkand, April 24, 2025 – The Europe Today: President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the National Leader of the Turkmen People, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, held substantive bilateral talks today at the Congress Center of the Silk Road Samarkand complex. The discussions took place in both a contracted format and with the participation of official delegations from both nations.
At the outset, Chairman Berdimuhamedov conveyed the warm greetings and best wishes of the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, to President Mirziyoyev. The talks focused on further enhancing the deep-rooted ties of friendship, good neighborliness, and strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the dynamic development of comprehensive cooperation in a wide array of fields, including political and interparliamentary dialogue, trade and economy, transport and communications, as well as cultural and humanitarian relations. They noted the effectiveness of regular engagements at all levels, underscored by meetings of the Intergovernmental Commission, the Business Council, the Regional Forum, cultural events, and exhibitions.
Last year, bilateral trade turnover reached $1.1 billion, a figure both sides aim to nearly double in the coming years. Trade houses have been established in the respective capitals, while freight transportation volumes continue to rise. Notable progress was also highlighted in sectors such as energy, agriculture, transport, and water resource management. In a major development, both nations are actively working to establish a joint border trade zone — “Shavat-Dashoguz.”
The talks also acknowledged the growing interregional contacts and the successful implementation of a broad cultural and humanitarian cooperation program. In this regard, an agreement was reached to organize the third Regional Forum this year in the historic city of Khiva and to host Turkmenistan Culture Days in Uzbekistan.
The two sides exchanged views on key regional issues, particularly in the context of preparations for the upcoming “Central Asia Plus” summits and the seventh Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia, to be held in Tashkent. President Mirziyoyev emphasized the significance of the upcoming Forum in Ashgabat this December, within the framework of the International Year of Peace and Trust, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly on the initiative of Turkmenistan.
In a gesture of friendship, President Mirziyoyev presented Chairman Berdimuhamedov with a copy of his recently published book “The Pearl of Wisdom” in the Uzbek language.
The meeting reaffirmed the strong commitment of both countries to further deepen their strategic partnership and foster peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.
