00:01Germany and Uzbekistan are deepening their political and economic ties, following talks between President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and German President Frank
00:09-Walter Steinmeier in Tashkent, as part of the overall intense EU engagement with Central Asia.
00:15Answering a question from Euronews during his visit, Steinmeier said the changes he had witnessed in Uzbekistan over the past
00:23few decades had created the conditions for closer cooperation.
00:26I'm very grateful that during my career, during the last 20 years, I was able to contribute to closer relations
00:33between our two countries, Uzbekistan and Germany, and to the relations between the European Union and Central Asia.
00:43You know, it was nothing was easy in the beginning, but now in the meanwhile, and this visit and the
00:50exchange with your political leaders approved for that has become closer.
00:55And I think all the foundations, all the bases for closer cooperation, be it in economics, business or cultural exchange,
01:06all the fundamentals laid now.
01:08So I'm looking forward, quite encouraged after this visit.
01:12During the talks, the two leaders discussed trade, investment, education and transport links, as well as cooperation through the Central
01:19Asia Germany platform.
01:21Germany is among Uzbekistan's largest economic partners in Europe, with investment and industrial cooperation continuing to grow.
01:28Germany is increasingly looking to Central Asia as a source of skilled workers, while educational exchanges between the two countries
01:35continue to expand.
01:47On the second day of his visit, Steinmeier toured the Center for Islamic Civilization, where he was introduced to exhibits
01:55showcasing the region's cultural and historical heritage.
01:59The Germany's president's visit to Uzbekistan underlines the growing strategic importance of relations between the two countries.
02:06Bilateral trade topped $1.4 billion last year, while Germany's investment in Uzbekistan reached $2 billion in 2025.
02:14Alongside economic cooperation, Berlin and Tashkent are also expanding educational and cultural links, as Germany seeks a stronger role in
02:22Central Asia and within the European Union's broader engagement with the region.
02:27Roshana Rekvarova, Euronews, Tashkent.
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