Uzbekistan and Turkey have signed five bilateral agreements aimed at expanding trade preferences, exchanging preliminary customs data, safeguarding citizens' social rights, and establishing a High-Level Business Support Council. The signing took place in Ankara on October 29 following talks between Presidents Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Uzbek president’s press service reported.
The two heads of state signed the agreement establishing the council themselves. Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat stated that Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz will lead the Turkish delegation on the new panel. The council aims to bolster trade and investment between the two nations. As Spot reported, the leaders also agreed to convene the next meeting of the intergovernmental commission and expand their portfolio of joint ventures.
A separate protocol broadens the list of goods covered under the preferential trade agreement, granting them favored access to each country's markets. Uzbek Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade Laziz Kudratov and Omer Bolat inked the accord. As the Turkish Trade Ministry clarified, the new terms will take effect once domestic ratification procedures conclude in both countries. The ministry’s release did not specify which additional goods were included.
Another protocol updates an accord dated March 29, 2022, concerning the advance exchange of cargo and transport data. Customs authorities will receive this information electronically ahead of time, accelerating border clearance procedures and cutting wait times at checkpoints.
The parties also reached an intergovernmental agreement on social security, accompanied by an administrative arrangement establishing implementation procedures. Tashkent stated that the documents are designed to safeguard the social rights of both nations' citizens. Specific terms regarding welfare payments and other provisions were not disclosed in the official statement.
According to Bolat, bilateral trade turnover reached $3.1 billion in 2025. Both presidents set a target to elevate that figure to $5 billion. The minister added that Turkish contractors have completed 333 projects in Uzbekistan valued at over $9.5 billion.
Mirziyoyev arrived in Ankara to attend the 13th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States. During their bilateral talks, the leaders reviewed trade, investment, and cultural ties, highlighting the growing number of joint ventures and direct flights.
