Uzbekistan-Malaysia: Economic and cultural connections and a glimpse into the Future

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev will pay an official visit to Malaysia on February 4-5 at the invitation of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

Malaysia was among the first states to recognize Uzbekistan’s independence and establish diplomatic relations with our country on February 21, 1992. The foundational principles of these relations were enshrined in the April 3, 1993 Joint Communiqué of Uzbekistan and Malaysia.

The two states maintain a productive dialog at the highest level, which contributes to strengthening interaction in all areas, despite the geographical distance between the two countries.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with former King of Malaysia Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP-28), which was held in Dubai on December 1, 2023.

The visit of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to our country in May 2024 gave a powerful impetus to Uzbek-Malaysian cooperation. During the visit, a Joint Statement on deepening multifaceted cooperation was signed, reaffirming the commitment to further strengthening political dialog, inter-parliamentary ties, trade and investment, cultural and humanitarian interaction. Mutual interest in bringing bilateral relations to the level of comprehensive partnership in the near future was emphasized. In addition, a weighty package of 19 investment agreements worth over 3 billion dollars was signed at the Uzbek-Malaysian Business Forum held in Samarkand in the framework of the visit.

The strong bonds of friendship between the Uzbek and Malaysian peoples are based on the commonality of religion, similarity of customs and cultural values. Similarity of goals and objectives, implemented strategic development and modernization programs "Uzbekistan - 2030" and "Malaysia Madani" make cooperation between the two countries even more effective and promising.

Both countries are committed to achieving sustainable economic growth, advancing technological innovation, enhancing quality of life, and fostering human capital development. The alignment of their priorities enables the exchange of experiences, the adaptation of successful practices, and the strengthening of mutually beneficial partnerships across various sectors.

In particular, inter-parliamentary dialog is actively developing, which is facilitated by friendship groups established in 2020 in the parliaments of the two countries. In April 2023, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Malaysian Parliament Johari bin Abdul participated as an observer at the referendum on amendments to the Constitution of Uzbekistan. In July 2024, Nuriddin Ismoilov, Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, visited Malaysia.

Political consultations between the foreign ministries of the two countries are held on a regular basis to discuss topical issues on the bilateral agenda. In February and July 2024, delegations headed by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov paid fruitful visits to Malaysia.

Uzbekistan and Malaysia also closely interact within the framework of regional and international organizations such as the UN, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Non-Aligned Movement, supporting each other in promoting initiatives and demonstrating proximity of positions on the most pressing global and regional issues.

Malaysia supported the adoption by the UN General Assembly and co-sponsored the resolutions initiated by Uzbekistan "Sustainable Development Agenda in Central Asia 2018-2024" (2018), "Declaring the Aral Sea region a zone of environmental innovations and technologies" (2021), "Strengthening connectivity between Central and South Asia" (2022), "Strengthening the role of parliaments in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals" (2022), "Central Asia facing environmental challenges: fostering regional solidarity for sustainable development and prosperity" (2023), proclamation of 2027 as the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism (2024).

Trade and economic ties between the two countries enjoy most-favored-nation treatment, and the Intergovernmental Joint Commission promotes the expansion and strengthening of cooperation in this area. On May 29, 2024, the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission was held in Kuala Lumpur, which resulted in the signing of a joint statement.

Activation of mutual trade is facilitated by the representative office of the Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) opened in 2019 at the Embassy of Malaysia in Tashkent.

On December 18-20, 2024, the first-ever trade fair showcasing agricultural food products, nuts, and dried fruits from Uzbekistan was held at Paradigm Mall in Petaling Jaya, in collaboration with Malaysia’s KNKV Group. The event demonstrated that Uzbek products are competitive in the Malaysian market and set new trends in the development of trade and economic cooperation.

In general, the volume of bilateral trade turnover in 2024 exceeded 102 million US dollars, however, both sides believe that there is significant potential for further growth in this figure for Uzbekistan and Malaysia. In this context, the search for optimal transportation routes is of particular importance, and this is another relevant area of current cooperation that is gaining momentum. As of today, 40 enterprises with Malaysian capital are operating in Uzbekistan. Uzbek entrepreneurs are just beginning to master the Malaysian market and contribute to the economic development of this country.

In turn, six projects totaling 12 million US dollars have been implemented in recent years with the participation of Malaysian investments. In particular, infrastructure projects totaling 9.3 million US dollars have been launched in Gulistan with the participation of the University of Technology Malaysia. The "Project on creation of innovative IT-educational institution" is being implemented.

Every year, cooperation in tourism, health care, sports, cultural ties, and educational and academic exchanges is expanding. This is facilitated by regularly held joint conferences, symposiums, exhibitions, tourism fairs, culture and movie days, concerts and festivals.

Uzbekistan and Malaysia are also intensifying cooperation in such previously unexplored areas of cooperation as halal industry and Islamic banking. Provided that Malaysia is among the largest exporters of halal products and is also recognized as an international center of Islamic finance, the expansion of cooperation in these areas holds significant promise. In particular, it can facilitate Uzbekistan’s integration into the global supply chain of halal products, foster the growth of Islamic banking within the country, and strengthen the human resource potential in these sectors.

Uzbek-Malaysian cultural and humanitarian ties represent a unique bridge uniting traditions, customs and spiritual values of the two nations. This cooperation, based on mutual respect and the desire to preserve cultural and spiritual heritage, is becoming an important element in strengthening friendly relations between the countries. Common historical and cultural parallels create a fruitful basis for the exchange of experience, realization of joint projects and development of mutual understanding in such spheres as education, art, science and tourism.

In particular, effective cooperation between educational and medical institutions, as well as centers studying the rich heritage of Islamic civilization, is constantly expanding, opening up new horizons for the people of the two countries.

Thus, under the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Program (MTCP) of the Malaysian government, from 1994 to 2024, over 900 specialists from ministries and agencies of Uzbekistan have participated in various short-term courses and seminars in Malaysia.

Today, more than 500 Uzbek students are studying in Malaysian universities, and 25 agreements and memorandums on cooperation and exchanges have been signed between educational institutions of the two countries in 2021-2023.

In May 2024, the Malaysian organization Q Study World, in partnership with the World Association of Youth of Uzbekistan, opened an educational center in Tashkent, whose activities are aimed at assisting young people wishing to study at universities in foreign countries.

Highly appreciating the contribution of Uzbek scholars and thinkers to the development of Islamic civilization, the Malaysian side has taken an active part in the study, promotion and preservation of our country’s rich spiritual heritage.

An example of such interaction was the Fourth International Scientific and Practical Conference "Scholars of Islamic Civilization" held in Tashkent on 30 May 2024, organized jointly by the Centre for Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan and the Institute of Islam Hadhari UKM. Modern approaches to the study of the scientific heritage of Imam Bukhari were also discussed at the international conference in Kuala Lumpur on October 22, 2024.

The trip to Malaysia in January this year by a delegation from Uzbekistan led by Director of the Center for Islamic Civilization Firdavs Abdukholikov was very fruitful. The International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization in Malaysia handed over to the Uzbek side facsimile copies of historical manuscripts belonging to the cultural heritage of our country - "At-Tafhim" by Abu Rayhan Beruni and "Shahnameh" by Abul Qasim Ferdowsi, rewritten during the Temurid era.

Malaysian representatives are also traditional participants in international cultural, musical, sporting and educational events held in Uzbekistan. In turn, Uzbek artists have successfully toured to Malaysia, demonstrating the rich national music and dance art.

There is a great love in Malaysia for the Uzbek architectural style and traditions of architecture. Uzbek masters have restored many large structures and administrative buildings in Malaysia using unique architectural techniques. The interiors of the world-famous Petronas Twin Towers, Petronas Philharmonic Concert Hall, the country’s largest Putra Mosque located next to the official residence of the Prime Minister, the An-Noor and Kampung Kling Mosques located in Kedah and Melaka, Islamic Arts Museum in Kuala Lumpur, and Albukhari International University in Kedah, as well as the Johor Bahru State palace and Sabah state government building are decorated using national Uzbek ornaments.

The interest of Malaysian filmmakers in our country is also growing. In 2020, a film crew from Malaysia shot a 10-part documentary on the sights of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva, which was broadcast on TV1 and TV2. In 2024, the Malaysian TV channel RTM showed a movie on the potential of pilgrimage tourism in Bukhara. An agreement has already been reached to shoot a 10-part documentary on Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage and tourism potential.

Uzbekistan, in turn, has opened its doors wide for the Malaysian people - since February 2018, a 30-day visa-free entry regime to our republic has been in effect for the citizens of this country. The established regular air communication contributes to the growth of mutual tourist flow - the number of Malaysian tourists visiting Uzbekistan in 2024 has reached almost 10 thousand people.

During the first international Forum on pilgrimage tourism held in Bukhara in February 2019, Mufti Mohd Asri bin Zainul Abidin of the Malaysian state of Perlis was appointed Uzbekistan’s Honorary Ambassador for Pilgrimage Tourism. In April of the same year, Daler Khamrokulov, a Malaysian actor born in Uzbekistan, became the Ambassador of Uzbekistan’s tourism brand in Malaysia.

Uzbek tour operators traditionally participate in the major tourism exhibition in Malaysia "MATTA Fair" and other prestigious exhibitions, whereas Malaysian representatives of the hospitality industry are invariable participants of the annually held Tashkent International Tourism Fair.

In short, the horizons of Uzbek-Malaysian relations are expanding every year. The forthcoming official visit of President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Malaysia will undoubtedly mark the beginning of the next stage in the strengthening of bilateral relations and reaffirm the aspiration of the two sides to forge a long-term trusting partnership. It will make it possible not only to summarize the results of the work done, but also to outline new areas of fruitful cooperation. It is expected that the agreements signed during the visit and the arrangements reached will become the basis for the implementation of strategic projects, contributing to strengthening regional stability and creating new opportunities for business and humanitarian exchanges between Uzbekistan and Malaysia.