Uzbekistan, UAE Sign Deal to Boost Mining Cooperation

Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates have taken another step toward deepening their economic partnership by signing a new agreement to expand cooperation in the mining industry, with a focus on boosting investment, upgrading infrastructure, and supporting long-term growth.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by UAE Minister of Investment Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi and Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev, The Caspian Post reports via Uzbek media.

The deal comes amid rapidly growing bilateral investment ties, with UAE investments in Uzbekistan totaling about $1.3 billion in 2024, including nearly $700 million in renewable energy. More than $4 billion worth of joint projects are currently underway.

Alsuwaidi highlighted the strong foundation of trust and economic cooperation between the two countries, noting that the agreement reflects the UAE’s commitment to building strategic international partnerships in key sectors. He said cooperation with Uzbekistan would unlock high-quality investment opportunities across the entire mineral value chain, delivering sustainable development and long-term economic value for both sides.

The memorandum places a strong emphasis on modernizing critical supporting infrastructure, such as power generation, renewable energy facilities, water supply systems, logistics networks, and grid upgrades. It also promotes digitalization, innovative technologies, and responsible resource management to enhance the resilience and reliability of the mining sector.

Cooperation under the agreement spans the full mining value chain, from geological exploration and resource development to processing and the production of finished goods. Khodjaev described the memorandum as a major step forward in cooperation with the Gulf state, stressing the importance of joint efforts in investment support, governance, human capital development, and effective monitoring mechanisms.

The agreement establishes a comprehensive framework for collaboration involving government bodies, regulators, state investment companies, and the private sector, including financing through foreign direct investment and public-private partnerships.

Mining remains a cornerstone of Uzbekistan’s economy, with the country producing gold, copper, uranium, coal, oil, and natural gas. The sector is undergoing active modernization as the government expands value-added production, upgrades infrastructure, and continues to attract international investment.