Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan: towards new horizons of strategic partnership

On July 18-19, at the invitation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov will pay a state visit to Uzbekistan, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

Kyrgyzstan is a reliable partner and the closest neighbor of Uzbekistan. The history and culture of the two peoples are inextricably linked, serving as a solid basis for brotherly relations, warm friendship, and good neighborliness.

Since the first years of independence, the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic have established diplomatic relations and opened embassies in their capitals. Today, the interaction between our countries has reached an unprecedented new level.

Constructive, multifaceted, and mutually beneficial dialogue with Kyrgyzstan, based on the principles of good neighborliness and strategic partnership, is one of the priorities of Uzbekistan’s foreign policy. The legal basis for cooperation has been strengthened; the framework consists of more than 248 bilateral documents covering trade, economics, science, tourism, transport, culture, and other areas.

Among the most important are the Treaty of Eternal Friendship, the Declaration on Strategic Partnership, friendship, good neighborliness, and confidence-building, as well as the Declaration on a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic, which create conditions for filling bilateral relations with new practical content.

Key events in the development of cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan include state visits by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the neighboring republic in September 2017 and January 2023, and a state visit by President Sadyr Zhaparov to Uzbekistan in March 2021. These visits provided a powerful impetus to the development of multifaceted dialogue at all levels.

Inter-parliamentary cooperation has also intensified significantly: in September 2017, during President Mirziyoyev’s visit to Kyrgyzstan, a Memorandum on Inter-parliamentary Cooperation was signed between the Oliy Majlis and the Jogorku Kenesh. In June 2020, the Inter-parliamentary Commission on Cooperation was established, and in September 2021, the Chairpersom of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan visited Kyrgyzstan.

Mutual exchanges of visits by parliamentary delegations have gained momentum, with parliamentarians from both countries also engaging on multilateral platforms such as the Inter-parliamentary Assembly of CIS Member States, the Dialogue of Women Leaders of Central Asian Countries, and others. Fruitful cooperation has been established at the level of the foreign ministries of both countries, featuring regular telephone conversations and frequent meetings of foreign affairs agency heads, including at international venues.

Direct scientific and research ties are being fostered between the analytical centers of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, aimed at developing joint proposals and initiatives to further expand and deepen bilateral relations. Impressive progress has been made in the development of trade and economic cooperation: the volume of mutual trade has nearly quadrupled in recent years. In January-May 2024, trade turnover between the countries amounted to $294.3 million.

Currently, 273 enterprises with Kyrgyz capital are successfully operating in Uzbekistan, while in Kyrgyzstan, 70 enterprises have been established with the participation of Uzbek residents.

The Intergovernmental Commission, established in 1996, and the Business Council, founded in 2021, play crucial roles in expanding and fortifying bilateral trade, economic, and investment cooperation. Cooperation in the transport sector holds significant importance for both countries. In this context, joint efforts are underway to strengthen and develop Central Asia’s transport system, including the implementation of major cross-border projects. A flagship initiative involves the construction of a joint China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway. Additionally, important decisions were made regarding the delimitation and demarcation of state borders between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

In his concluding state visit to Kyrgyzstan in January 2023, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized that the conclusion of an Agreement on certain sections of the Uzbek-Kyrgyz state border marked a truly historic event in bilateral relations. "A full settlement of the issue of border delimitation will certainly play an important role in the development of bilateral cooperation and cross-border exchange, and facilitate the strengthening of stability and security in our region", said the President of Uzbekistan.

One of the longstanding challenges in relations between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan has been the management of water resources. Thanks to the political will of both countries, significant agreements have been reached in this area, including an agreement on the joint management of the water resources of the Kempir-Abad (Andijan) Reservoir. In 2022, the Joint Water Commission was established, which has already convened for four meetings, with the latest held in April 2024 in Andijan. The commission’s efforts are aimed at resolving longstanding issues and ensuring the rational use of water resources, thereby fostering trust between the countries and creating conditions for sustainable regional development.

Cultural ties between our countries are also robust. Uzbekistan is home to over 300,000 Kyrgyzs, while approximately 1 million Uzbeks reside in Kyrgyzstan. Both nations boast active cultural centers and schools teaching in their native languages.

In 2017 and 2018, Uzbekistan hosted the Uzbekistan Culture Days in Kyrgyzstan and the Days of Culture and Art of Kyrgyzstan in Uzbek cities. In 2022, Uzbekistan celebrated the 30th anniversary of Kyrgyz cultural centers. In April 2023, with the support of the government of Uzbekistan, the reconstruction of the State Academic Uzbek Music and Drama Theater named after Bobur in Osh was completed.

The parties are keen on expanding cooperation in science and education. A five-year Agreement on cooperation in higher education was signed between the governments of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. This agreement fosters collaboration in teacher training and professional development, as well as facilitates mutual exchanges between students and educators.

Cooperation among higher education institutions in the border regions of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan is flourishing. Academic programs include student exchanges, and memoranda of cooperation have been signed between institutions in Osh and Jalalabad regions of Kyrgyzstan, and Andijan, Fergana, and Namangan regions of Uzbekistan.

Under the framework of the Agreement on Scientific and Technical Cooperation, productive partnerships have been established between the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan and the National Academy of Sciences of Kyrgyzstan. There are regular exchanges of scientific delegations, and both parties participate in scientific and practical conferences held in each other’s countries. However, there remains significant untapped potential for further development in education and science cooperation.

The resumption of regular flights and simplified border crossing procedures between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan have led to an increase in mutual tourist flows. Each year sees a growing number of Kyrgyz tourists visiting Uzbekistan, further enhancing cultural ties and fraternal friendship between our peoples.

Thus, through constructive dialogue at the highest levels, active economic interaction, and cultural exchanges, the comprehensive partnership between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan continues to grow more reliable and promising. Mutual respect and a shared desire for cooperation create favorable conditions for the sustainable development and prosperity of both nations. In this context, the upcoming state visit of Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Zhaparov to Uzbekistan will mark another important step in strengthening the current level of interaction and providing momentum for further development of mutually beneficial partnerships.