UK Exports Minister Lord Offord on August 21 announced he was on a three-day mission in Uzbekistan to expand on UK-Uzbek relations and find untapped business opportunities.

With the wider Central Asian region expected to grow by 5.4% in 2024, Uzbekistan offers clear and tangible opportunities for UK businesses, the UK Department for Business and Trade said in a press release.

The exports minister is focusing on infrastructure and mining opportunities for UK exports during his trip.

Offord was set to visit Almalyk Mine and gold processing facility to identify areas for UK cooperation and export.

“Mining in Uzbekistan offers huge opportunities to the UK market with the world’s fourth-largest gold reserves and its position amongst the top 15 countries with the largest copper reserves. The UK’s world-leading expertise in clean energy can help to influence the transition to a cleaner, greener mining future,” the Department for Business and Trade said.

In addition to promoting UK exports, a key objective of the mission is to protect free trade and the UK is proud to support Uzbekistan’s accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), it added.

Offord said: “Uzbekistan is a growing market full of untapped business opportunities. The UK’s total trade with Uzbekistan sits at just £267m, so this visit is our chance to uncover where UK exports can tap into the Uzbek market—driving growth and creating jobs both at home and abroad.”

Offord planned to highlight how UK Export Finance – the UK’s export credit agency – can help mobilise finance and promote the strengths of UK businesses in priority economic and social sectors, supporting critical projects in clean energy, transport, healthcare, education and manufacturing.

The Minister was due to meet with Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance and Economy, Jamshid Kuchkarov Laziz Kudratov, Uzbek Minister of Investment Industry and Trade, Laziz Kudratov, and Uzbek Foreign Minister, Bakhtiyor Saidov.

He was also scheduled to hold meetings with Azizbek Urunov, Special Representative of the President for the WTO, Chief Negotiator and Abdulla Khursanov, Chairman of Almalyk MMC.

On 13-16 November, the 27th Uzbek-British Trade and Industry Council (UBTIC) will take place across London.