As is known, on January 19 of the current year, meeting was held in Tashkent between the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and the Prime Minister of the Italian Republic, Giorgia Meloni. During the talks, particular attention was paid to issues related to the further strengthening of trade and economic relations between the two countries.

In furtherance of the agreements reached during the high-level dialogue, representatives of Uzbekistan’s business community have also become actively involved in developing specific mechanisms for their practical implementation. In this context, the meeting held on January 21 of the current year between the Chairman of the Founders board of BMB HOLDING, Bekzod Mamatkulov, and the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Italian Republic to the Republic of Uzbekistan, Guido De Sanctis, was devoted to ensuring the execution of the above-mentioned objectives.

During the dialogue, Ambassador Guido De Sanctis highlighted, as one of the most successful examples of Uzbek–Italian cooperation, the investment project for the cultivation, processing, and export of saffron, which is being successfully implemented in the Bakhmal district of the Jizzakh region in partnership with the Italian company Finopera.

In this regard, the parties also held detailed discussions on the further development of existing joint investment projects, the attraction of new investments, the expansion of saffron plantation areas, the increase of export volumes, as well as the introduction of advanced technologies and practical expertise of Italian partners into these processes. It was noted that these areas are fully aligned with the overall strategy aimed at elevating economic cooperation between Uzbekistan and Italy to a qualitatively new level.

Following the negotiations, agreements were reached that within the framework of the planned visit of the Chairman of the Founders board of BMB HOLDING, Bekzod Mamatkulov, to the Italian Republic on January 28–29 of the current year, a number of joint investment projects with Italian companies are expected to be advanced to a new stage of development, along with the establishment of mutually beneficial partnership ties in other promising areas of cooperation.

Overall, the meeting was held in a constructive and businesslike atmosphere, and it was particularly emphasized that the agreements reached will make a significant contribution to the further development and strengthening of cooperation between Uzbekistan and Italy.