Germany signs migration agreement with Uzbekistan

German and Uzbek authorities have signed a migration agreement during Chancellor Olaf Scholz's visit to Samarkand.

The agreement aims to streamline the process for skilled workers, particularly in healthcare, to enter Germany, Caliber.Az reports via German media.

It also facilitates the repatriation of Uzbek nationals who are not entitled to stay in the country.

"We are enabling the necessary immigration of workers with great talent that we need in Germany so that our economy can grow," Scholz said on September 15, after a meeting with President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Samarkand.

Currently, 13,700 Uzbeks reside in Germany. Agreements with individual migrant source countries are a key part of the German government's migration policy.

With a population of 36 million, Uzbekistan is the most populous nation in Central Asia and ranks as Germany's second most significant trading partner in the region, following Kazakhstan. There are promising business opportunities for German firms providing products, technologies, and services in sectors such as electricity (renewable energy and energy efficiency), water management, textiles, healthcare, agriculture (smart farming), raw material extraction, construction, and the food industry.

Additionally, there is considerable potential for collaboration with Germany in the recruitment of skilled workers. Germany's primary exports to Uzbekistan include machinery, equipment, vehicles, vehicle parts, and chemicals. In contrast, Uzbekistan's key exports to Germany are food, textiles, and metals.