Baltic States – CIS, Investments, Latvia, Port, Uzbekistan

Kucinskis today met with the speaker of the Uzbek parliament, Nigmatilla Yuldashev, who is visiting Latvia, and said that bilateral economic relations should be expanded through cooperation in different fields. "We offer Uzbek businessmen to establish companies at Latvia's free ports and special economic zones," the Latvian prime minister said.

He praised the fact that Uzbekistan's Trading House had been established in Latvia and was ensuring exports of Uzbek products to Europe via the Latvian transport infrastructure and logistics facilities. There is potential for cooperation in use of clean technologies and e-government where Latvia has high expertise, Kucinskis add.

Both parties to the meeting praised the work of the Latvia-Uzbekistan Intergovernmental Commission which was meeting at regular intervals. The next meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission is planned on October 3-4 in Riga.

In conclusion of the meeting, Kucinskis extended an invitation to the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Abdulla Aripov, to visit Latvia.

This year Latvia and Uzbekistan mark the 25th anniversary since establishment of diplomatic relations. There is an active political dialogue as well as active economic cooperation between the two countries. The total trade turnover of goods with Uzbekistan has increased by 42.04% or EUR 27.52 million compared to 2015.