Slovenian–Uzbek Business Forum Convened in Ljubljana
2025-05-22 21:05:00 / News
Keynote speeches were delivered by Mr Matjaž Han, Slovenia’s Minister of Economy, Tourism and Trade, and Mr Akram Aliyev, Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan, alongside representatives of sectoral ministries, industry associations and chambers of commerce from both countries.
Mr Aliyev underscored the importance of direct partnerships between Slovenian and Uzbek businesses, combining Slovenia’s strengths in high technology, sustainable development and industrial innovation with Uzbekistan’s significant industrial capacity, resources and export potential.
Bilateral trade is on an upswing: turnover reached USD 176 million in 2024 and exceeded USD 127 million in Q1 2025. Key trade items include services, finished textiles, chemicals, mechanical equipment, stone-, ceramic- and gypsum-based products, and furniture.
Looking ahead, Mr Aliyev identified several high-potential areas for collaboration:
- High-value-added production in agriculture and food processing
- Pharmaceuticals
- Cable- and conductor-manufacturing
- Construction of hydroelectric power plants
He confirmed Uzbekistan’s readiness to provide comprehensive support for new joint initiatives that align with investor interests and strengthen the country’s economic resilience.
Minister Han praised the scale of Uzbekistan’s reforms and urged Slovenian entrepreneurs to engage actively with the Uzbek market.
The forum featured B2B and G2B matchmaking sessions, enabling participants to exchange expertise and explore new cooperation avenues. A number of agreements and contracts were signed covering investment partnerships, pharmaceuticals, urban infrastructure, copper products, fruit-and-vegetable storage and processing, railway infrastructure, micro-hydropower plants, electrical engineering and other promising fields.
The programme continued with the arrival of President Mirziyoyev, underscoring the high-level commitment to deepening Slovenian–Uzbek economic ties.