TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, December 19. Uzbekistan and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have signed new agreements covering the development of economic zones, education, agriculture, the transport sector, and the supply of medical equipment, TurkicWorld reports via the press service of the Uzbek President.
The agreements were announced during a meeting between President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Akihiko Tanaka, President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
The discussions placed significant emphasis on deepening JICA’s involvement in the development of Uzbekistan's energy sector, while also focusing on fostering youth and women’s entrepreneurship, enhancing employment opportunities, reducing poverty, and cultivating a highly skilled workforce in engineering. Furthermore, the expansion of the "One Village, One Product" initiative was identified as a key area for collaboration.
The parties also expressed a mutual commitment to expediting the establishment of a special economic zone tailored to attract Japanese investors to Uzbekistan.
Concluding the meeting, President Mirziyoyev underscored the critical importance of timely and efficient project preparation, ensuring that the outcomes of the new cooperation program with JICA, set to extend through 2030, are both impactful and sustainable in the long term.
President Mirziyoyev is currently on an official visit to Japan, which runs from December 18 through 20. During this visit, he will participate in the inaugural summit of the Heads of State of the Central Asia + Japan Dialogue. The summit will explore avenues for cooperation in several critical areas, including the green economy, sustainable development, regional interconnectivity, fostering partnerships, and advancing human capital development.
