Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan agreed to strengthen coordination between their presidential administrations to facilitate the implementation of bilateral agreements reached by the two countries' leaders, following meetings held by Saida Mirziyoyeva, Head of the Presidential Administration of Uzbekistan, during a visit to Astana.
Mirziyoyeva began her visit with a meeting with Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, during which she conveyed the warm greetings and best wishes of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
“Kazakhstan is not just a neighboring country for us, but a close friend, reliable strategic partner and ally,” Mirziyoyeva stated, expressing gratitude for the warm reception and Kazakhstan’s commitment to strengthening the fraternal ties between the two nations.
A key outcome of the visit emerged during Mirziyoyeva’s meeting with Roman Sklyar, where the sides reviewed the current state and future prospects of Uzbek-Kazakh cooperation.
“We agreed to establish even closer, more operative and effective cooperation mechanisms between our presidential administrations to ensure the consistent and full implementation of all agreements reached at the highest level,” Mirziyoyeva stressed.
As part of the visit, Mirziyoyeva also met with Yerlan Karin. The discussions focused on long-term priorities of bilateral cooperation, including cultural diplomacy, the role of youth in strengthening ties between the two countries, and promising areas of collaboration in high technologies.
The visit follows a series of high-level international engagements by Mirziyoyeva. Earlier, she held talks with the heads of the U.S. Export-Import Bank (EXIM) and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), discussing opportunities to expand cooperation on industrial and financial projects in Uzbekistan.
Focus on financial cooperation and investment attraction
During her visit to Astana, Mirziyoyeva also toured the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), where she reviewed Kazakhstan’s experience in developing a regional financial hub.
The visit comes as Uzbekistan advances plans to establish the Tashkent International Financial Centre (TIFC), a flagship initiative aimed at attracting foreign investment, expanding financial services and strengthening the country's position as a regional business hub.
Mirziyoyeva emphasized the importance of studying Kazakhstan’s experience in building the AIFC and fostering an attractive environment for international investors.
“I am confident that exchanging experience in this area will help attract even more investment not only to our countries, but to the entire Central Asian region,” she mentioned.
A presidential decree establishing the Tashkent International Financial Centre was signed in March, while officials have said the centre is expected to begin operations in early 2027.
Earlier government projections indicated that the initiative could attract significant international capital, contribute an additional $20bn–$25bn to Uzbekistan’s economy, and increase national GDP by around 1% by 2030.
