Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have recently inked a protocol, allowing citizens of Uzbekistan to enter the UAE without a visa. The signing ceremony, which occurred on January 16, involved the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Abu Dhabi, Abdulaziz Akkulov, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, Khalid Abdulla Belhoul, UzA reported.
Notably, Uzbekistan had previously extended visa-free entry to UAE citizens in March 2019, further reciprocated in 2020 to include residents of the Arab state. These measures underscore a commitment to deepening bilateral ties across various domains.
Anticipated to have a positive impact on tourism and economic relations, the agreement comes at a time when 119,454 Uzbek citizens visited the UAE in 2023, resulting in visa expenses totaling $9.2 mn.
In October, Qatar granted visa-free entry to Uzbek citizens, followed by a similar move by Iran in December. Saudi Arabia has also been issuing electronic visas to Uzbek citizens for stays of up to 90 days since August.
With the inclusion of the UAE in the list of visa-free countries, Uzbekistan's passport power has expanded significantly. The country now enjoys visa-free access to 29 nations, elevating its position to 71st place in the Global Passport Power rating.
Earlier Daryo reported that a company from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced its intention to invest $30 mn in a project focused on cultivating berries in the Andijan region.
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