Expert-level meetings for the seventh session of the Egyptian-Uzbek Joint Committee for Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation began on Sunday in Tashkent, the Uzbek capital. The meetings are in preparation for a ministerial committee meeting later this week. Rania Al-Mashat, the Egyptian Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, and Laziz Kudratov, the Uzbek Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade, will co-chair the upcoming ministerial meeting. The joint committee, which is meeting for the first time since 2009, aims to strengthen relations between Egypt and Uzbekistan. This session demonstrates Egypt's commitment to fostering relationships with allied nations across various sectors. The meeting reflects the keen interest of both countries' leaderships to bolster bilateral ties, particularly following Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's visit to Uzbekistan in September 2018. This highlights Egypt's increasing focus on Central Asia, with Uzbekistan as a central partner. The expert meetings will cover areas of mutual interest, with Egypt aiming to enhance bilateral relations across the board. A key objective is to promote and develop economic ties in all sectors, remove barriers to growth, and increase inter-investment. Al-Mashat stated that the joint committee intends to strengthen economic relations, to meet the aspirations of both countries and to foster cultural and scientific ties. She emphasized Egypt's use of joint committees with other nations to establish clear frameworks for bilateral cooperation and achieve mutual interests at all levels. The Egyptian delegation to the expert meetings includes representatives from the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade, the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones. Representatives from major Egyptian pharmaceutical companies, such as "ACDIMA," are also participating. The Uzbek delegation includes representatives from the Ministries of Investment, Industry, Trade, Culture, Transport, Energy, Higher Education, Tourism, and the Pharmaceutical Industries. The agenda for the seventh session includes the Egyptian-Uzbek Business Forum, which will see the participation of businesspeople from both countries. The forum aims to discuss ways to increase economic cooperation, with a focus on the role of the private sector. It will also address opportunities for investment in sectors in both countries, including pharmaceuticals, construction, food industries, tourism, technology, and logistics services. The Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation is leading the expert meetings. The ministry oversees 54 joint committees between Egypt and other countries, including 30 with European nations. These committees are vital to the Egyptian government's programme to enhance economic relations with its partners. These committees serve as important mechanisms to strengthen Egypt's economic ties at both the bilateral and multilateral levels.
