Uzbekistan, Italy Expand Strategic Cooperation in Tashkent

Uzbekistan and Italy are moving to deepen their strategic partnership after high-level talks in Tashkent.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who made a brief stop in the Uzbek capital, to review progress and set new priorities for cooperation, The Caspian Post reports via Uzbek media.

The sides focused on practical steps to expand bilateral ties and welcomed the steady implementation of agreements reached during their previous meeting in Samarkand in May 2025. Officials noted that contacts between the two countries remain active at all levels, with trade turnover continuing to grow and the number of joint ventures on the rise.

Economic cooperation is gaining momentum through major industrial projects with Italian companies including Finopera, ANCI, Pietro Fiorentini and Danieli. Interregional links are also expanding, particularly with Italy’s Lombardy region, while quotas have been allocated to support organized labor migration of Uzbek citizens.

Educational and diplomatic cooperation featured prominently in the talks. A branch of Italy’s Tuscia University opened in Samarkand at the end of 2025, and this year is set to see strategic dialogue sessions between foreign ministries, meetings of the intergovernmental commission and the second Rectors’ Forum.

Special attention was given to launching joint projects in textiles, geology, energy, chemistry, construction materials and the financial sector. The sides also agreed to boost cultural exchanges, including Days of Uzbek and Italian cinema, applied arts exhibitions in Milan and Uzbekistan’s participation in the upcoming Venice Biennale.

The meeting concluded with an exchange of views on regional and global issues. President Mirziyoyev invited Meloni to make a separate official visit to Uzbekistan, signaling continued momentum in bilateral relations.