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The three-day expo featured top Uzbekistan food-related export-quality products for the people of Pakistan.
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Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan says expos provides a platform for local businesses to connect with international buyers, distributors and business partners
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Alisher Tukhtayev says expo helps build stronger economic and diplomatic ties with the Pakistan encouraging mutual trade and investment opportunities
By: Muhammad Arif, Editor NSN.Asia
Islamabad: Uzbekistan Embassy in collaboration with the Centaurus Mall held a three-day “Made in Uzbekistan” Food Expo at the Centaurus Mall in the Islamabad, capital city of Pakistan.
The three-day expo featured top Uzbekistan food-related export-quality products for the people of Pakistan.
The top 50 exporting companies of Uzbekistan participated in this expo, with more than 50 selected products on display.
The Made in Uzbekistan Food Expo was inaugurated by Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan (CEO The Centaurus Group, President IDA), Alisher Tukhtayev (Ambassador of Uzbekistan), Ambassador Mohammad Azhar Mazlan (High Commissioner of Malaysia), Atadjan Movlamov (Ambassador of Turkmenistan), Avazbek Atakhanov (Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic), Frederico Silva (Ambassador of Portugal), Christy Ruban (High Commissioner of Sri Lanka), Sharifzoda Yousuf Toir (Ambassador of the Republic of Tajikistan), and Yerzhan Kistafin (Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan).
Speaking at the event Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan said that such expos encourage foreign businesses and investors to explore business opportunities, joint ventures and partnerships. He also highlighted that expos provide a platform for local businesses to connect with international buyers, distributors and business partners. He added that the Centaurus will continue to host such events in the future, giving countries the opportunity to showcase their local products, services and brands in Pakistan to increase international sales and expand into new markets.
Alisher Tukhtayev appreciated the Centaurus Mall’s efforts in providing a top-class facility for such expos, which help build stronger economic and diplomatic ties with the host country, encouraging mutual trade and investment opportunities.
The Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Alisher Tukhtaev, highlighted the progress in bilateral trade with Pakistan, and added by saying “the Uzbek Embassy is aiming to increase bilateral trade to US$1 billion in the coming years as per leadership level agreement of both countries”.
Bilateral trade has been progressing well, with mutual trade between Uzbekistan and Pakistan increasing from US$122 million in 2019 to US$387 million in 2023, according to Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).
Moreover, Pakistan and Uzbekistan share deep-rooted religious, historical, and cultural ties, and both countries are keen to further deepen and strengthen these bonds by exploring new horizons for mutual prosperity and connectivity.
He emphasized on diversification of trade to enhance bilateral exports and promote economic cooperation and said that both the significant cotton growing countries can pursue collaboration in Research & Development to develop high-yield and disease-resistant cotton varieties, improve cotton processing into quality yarn and fabric and thereby promoting sustainable cotton production.
He also encouraged Uzbek investors to collaborate in agriculture by setting up food processing units, storage facilities, and advancing the livestock sector. Joint ventures in high-yield farming and agro-food trade in wheat, rice, oil seeds, frozen foods, dates, figs, pineapples, potatoes, vegetables, and bovine animals could boost bilateral agro-food trade, he added.
Recently, Pakistan and Uzbekistan have strengthened their bilateral cooperation through trade and economic agreements and MoUs. Also, Pakistan and Uzbekistan signed a $1 billion deal to increase bilateral trade in February 2023 at the eighth meeting of the Inter-governmental Commission on Trade-Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation in Tashkent. The agreement was aimed at encouraging the exchange of goods and services.
A $1 billion trade deal was signed in 2023, and plans for further collaboration, including a roadmap for industrial cooperation, show the two sides’ commitment to boosting regional connectivity.
For the JMC meeting, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan participated in the ninth session of the Inter-governmental Commission on Trade-Economic and Scientific-Technical Cooperation and the fourth Uzbekistan-Pakistan Business Forum.
Officials voice hope Pakistan has a lot of business opportunities to increase exports to Uzbekistan following the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Also, they point out that exports have already increased to the Central Asian state. In the meantime, Saudi Arabia has planned to invest $20 billion in Uzbekistan’s energy sector and this huge injection will also create investment and export opportunities for Pakistani companies.
