DUSHANBE, 25.03.2026 (NIAT Khovar) – The second Interregional Entrepreneurship Forum between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan was held March 24 in Uzbekistan’s Jizzakh region, bringing together officials and business leaders to strengthen trade and economic cooperation.

According to the Khatlon regional administration, the Tajik delegation was led by Deputy Prime Minister Sulaimon Ziyozoda and included Khatlon Region Chairman Davlatali Said, State Committee on Investment Chairman Sulton Rahimzoda, government officials and more than 100 entrepreneurs.

Deputy Prime Ministers Jamshid Khodjaev of Uzbekistan and Ziyozoda of Tajikistan told the forum that bilateral relations are gaining steady momentum, with cooperation expanding across trade, investment, industry, transport, logistics, culture and humanitarian ties.

Said highlighted Khatlon’s investment potential, noting its strong agricultural and industrial base, natural resources and workforce. He emphasized priorities such as developing the agro-industrial and textile sectors, increasing value-added production and establishing joint ventures, and invited Uzbek businesses to expand cooperation with the region.

Participants discussed prospects for joint projects, new partnership areas and regional investment opportunities. Officials from both countries also addressed ways to deepen interregional cooperation and expand trade ties.

Entrepreneurs from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan signed a number of cooperation agreements during the forum.

The first interregional investment forum between the two countries was held in June 2021 in Bokhtar. Trade turnover reached $718.3 million in 2025, up 22.5% from 2024. Both sides reaffirmed a target to increase bilateral trade to $2 billion.

Exhibition pavilions were organized on the sidelines of the forum, showcasing regional industrial capacity and production potential.