Uzbekistan, Belarus enter a new stage of expanding industrial cooperation

The upcoming visit of President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Belarus opens a new stage in bilateral cooperation. In recent years, relations between the two countries have acquired a clear economic dimension. The agenda focuses on industrial cooperation, interregional ties, joint production projects and the expansion of mutual trade.

Regular dialogue at the highest level gives practical impetus to bilateral engagement. Since 2017, the leaders of the two countries have held eight meetings. An important milestone was the official visit of President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko to Uzbekistan in February 2024. Following the visit, a joint statement was adopted and a Roadmap was prepared to implement the agreements reached.

In February 2026, Prime Minister of Belarus Alexander Turchin was received by President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and the parties outlined a new agenda in preparation for the upcoming interstate events at the highest level.

Practical work is carried out through the Intergovernmental Commission on Bilateral Cooperation. At its 12th meeting in May 2026, the parties began preparing a Roadmap for further cooperation and agreed to hold the 3rd Interregional Forum of Uzbekistan and Belarus, which will take place in Minsk in the first ten days of July.

Interregional cooperation is strengthening the bilateral agenda. Since 2017, more than 40 visits have been made by representatives of the regions of the two countries. Direct links between enterprises, industrial sites and business associations are expanding.

Uzbekistan and Belarus have a free trade regime under a bilateral agreement, and both countries are also members of the CIS Free Trade Area. Of particular importance is the deepening of dialogue between existing multilateral associations, including the SCO and BRICS, as well as the EAEU, within which approaches to economic resilience, production cooperation and transport connectivity are being advanced.

Trade Dynamics

Amid international tensions, disruptions in supply chains and changes in the trade policies of the world’s leading economies, trade and economic relations between Uzbekistan and Belarus continue to show positive momentum. Bilateral trade increased 5.3 times in 2017–2025, from $182.4 million to $965 million.

Growth was driven by supplies in both directions. Uzbekistan’s exports to Belarus increased almost sevenfold, from $27.4 million to $186.5 million. Imports from Belarus rose fivefold, from $155 million to $778.5 million.

At the end of 2025, mutual trade increased by 25% and reached $965 million, in line with the previously set targets.

Belarus is among Uzbekistan’s top twenty trading partners. Among CIS countries, it ranks third in Uzbekistan’s foreign trade turnover after Russia and Kazakhstan. At the next stage, the task is to increase trade turnover to $2 billion by 2030. To this end, the parties have begun developing a joint programme.

The structure of trade shows that the main growth reserve is linked to expanding the range of goods and increasing supplies of products with high added value. In 2025, Uzbekistan’s exports to Belarus were mainly composed of manufactured goods (39.3%), finished products (22.1%) and food products (18.6%), while machinery and transport equipment accounted for 5.7%, chemical products for 4.7% and services for 6.5%.

Imports from Belarus were dominated by food products (38.1%), non-food raw materials (19.5%), machinery and transport equipment (15.5%) and manufactured goods (11.1%), while mineral fuels and oils accounted for 3.4% and services for 5.5%.

The current trade structure reflects the complementarity of the two economies. Belarus maintains strong positions in supplies of food, machinery, equipment and industrial products. Uzbekistan is expanding exports of manufactured goods, finished products, food products, textiles and certain types of mechanical engineering products.

Reaching the target of $2 billion by 2030 will require the expansion of stable export positions, direct links between producers and distributors, product certification and enterprise-level cooperation.

Investment and Production Dimension

Against the backdrop of growing trade, investment cooperation is also strengthening. Since 2017, the number of enterprises with Belarusian capital in Uzbekistan has increased almost twelvefold, from 22 to 258. Today, 63 joint ventures and 195 enterprises with 100% Belarusian capital operate in the country.

Investments from Belarus exceeded $76.5 million in 2025. Their cumulative volume for 2016–2025 amounted to more than $170.2 million. More than 110 enterprises with Uzbek investments operate in Belarus.

The main areas of Belarusian investment are related to the production of textile goods, ready-made garments, leather and pharmaceutical products, agricultural machinery, crop and livestock products, as well as food products.

Industrial cooperation is becoming the main area of economic partnership, including in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, pharmaceuticals, the food industry, textiles, the leather and footwear sector and the production of construction materials.

One of the most illustrative areas remains agricultural machinery. Belarusian tractors, combines and specialized equipment hold stable positions in the Uzbek market. A joint production facility for BELARUS tractors operates in Tashkent region. The AGROMAX TECHNIC LLC project is also being developed in the city of Nurafshan jointly with the Minsk Tractor Works.

The practical importance of this area is linked to the modernisation of Uzbekistan’s agriculture. Uzbekistan’s imports of agricultural machinery are estimated at $410 million, while annual demand stands at around 10,000 units of equipment. The planned output of up to 4,000 tractors per year makes it possible to move from supplies of finished machinery to localization, servicing, the production of components and the expansion of the industrial base.

Another example is the production of high-voltage cable products by Enco Group in partnership with Energokomplekt. The project is linked to the development of the copper cluster in Akhangaran district and corresponds to Uzbekistan’s objective of deeper raw material processing, which will increase the output of finished industrial products with export potential.

The Belarusian-Uzbek enterprise UzShoes operates in Karshi. The project demonstrates the potential for cooperation in the leather and footwear industry, where Uzbekistan has a raw material base and production capacities, while Belarus has experience in industrial processing and the promotion of finished products.

In May 2026, an agreement on cooperation in the food sector was signed in Tashkent between the relevant ministries of the two countries. The practical agenda also includes the creation of livestock clusters in Belarus for subsequent targeted supplies to Uzbekistan.

Promising Areas of Cooperation

According to the Center for Economic Research and Reforms, the highest potential for the further development of Uzbek-Belarusian cooperation is concentrated in sectors where the capabilities of the two countries complement each other.

In the agro-industrial sector, opportunities are primarily linked to expanding supplies of Uzbek fruit and vegetable products and introducing Belarusian technologies in agriculture.

Long-term effects may be generated by technological cooperation, including smart farming, GPS technologies, sensors for soil and yield monitoring, unmanned technologies, breeding, seed production, feed production and pedigree livestock breeding. For Uzbekistan, this area is linked to increasing the productivity of the agricultural sector, while for Belarus it opens up opportunities to expand its presence in the market for agricultural technologies and service solutions.

In electrical engineering and cable products, prospects are linked to the high import capacity of the Belarusian market and the growing industrial potential of Uzbekistan. Belarus imports a wide range of electrical engineering products, including transformers, electrical cables, televisions and monitors, electric heaters, electric cookers, refrigerators and air conditioners. The total import capacity for these items exceeds $850 million. Given the development of Uzbekistan’s electrical engineering industry, this area could become one of the channels for expanding exports of finished products.

Cooperation with Belarusian manufacturers of machinery, transformers, cable products and electronics is of particular importance. Companies such as Atlant, Brestgazoapparat, the Minsk Electrotechnical Plant, Energokomplekt, Integral and Planar are of interest. Potential projects may include localization and the creation of a research and production base in electronics.

Pharmaceuticals are among the technology-intensive segments of cooperation. Belarus imports a wide range of pharmaceutical and medical products, including medicines, vaccines, immunological preparations and medical devices. The total import capacity for these items exceeds $460 million.

This format of cooperation will strengthen the localization of medicines, expand research and production cooperation and increase the export potential of the pharmaceutical industry.

In the food industry, projects with Belarusian companies Santa Bremor and Savushkin Product are of interest. These include the production of fish products in Tashkent and Khorezm regions, as well as the development of dairy processing in Bukhara, Navoi and Syrdarya regions.

In the textile, garment, leather and footwear industries, opportunities are linked to the high import capacity of the Belarusian market. Belarus’ imports of textiles and clothing are estimated at $1.4 billion, including clothing, knitted fabrics, cotton fabrics, home textiles and carpets.

The total import capacity of Belarus for leather and footwear products exceeds $400 million, which opens up opportunities to expand supplies of footwear, leather goods and semi-finished products.

In construction materials, prospects are linked to high demand for industrial construction in Uzbekistan and Belarus’ capabilities in producing ready-made construction solutions. Belarus’ total import capacity for sandwich panels, plastic pipes and metal fasteners exceeds $350 million.

Increasing mutual supplies will require stable routes, the digitalization of transportation, optimization of border procedures and the development of warehouse infrastructure. Practical areas may include the introduction of the “Electronic Transportation” system of Belarusian Railways, cooperation between the logistics associations of the two countries, the use of electronic road toll collection, the resolution of issues related to road freight transport at the border, and the creation of joint ventures for the production, assembly and repair of rolling stock with the Mogilev Railway Car Building Plant.

Conclusion

Amid a changing global economy, Uzbek-Belarusian cooperation is gaining strategic importance. It is about building sustainable industrial cooperation between Belarus and one of the most dynamic markets in Central Asia. According to World Bank estimates, Uzbekistan’s economy will grow by an average of more than 6% per year in 2026–2028.

The expansion of domestic demand, the industrial base and investment activity is creating opportunities for Belarusian enterprises in agricultural machinery, the agro-industrial sector, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, food processing and logistics.

For Belarus, the Uzbek direction is of interest given the growing opportunities to expand supplies, localize production and develop long-term cooperation.

The upcoming visit of the President of Uzbekistan to Belarus may become an important stage in expanding industrial cooperation and realizing the accumulated potential. The main task is to create a strong production foundation that will become part of new value chains.

Khurshed Asadov,

Deputy Director of the Center for Economic Research and Reforms