Uzbekistan pledges support for Karabakh reconstruction with new projects

Uzbek companies are set to launch new projects in the liberated territories of Karabakh, focusing on the production of construction materials, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices.

Uzbek Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade, Laziz Kudratov, made the announcement to journalists during COP29 in Baku, Caliber.Az reports citing local media.

“We have initiated a textile production project in Khankendi today. This project will create approximately a thousand jobs, with 80 per cent of production expected to be exported. This marks the first foreign investment in the liberated territories and will help create jobs and enhance the industrial potential of these areas,” Kudratov explained.

Kudratov highlighted the numerous opportunities for cooperation, noting that the Azerbaijan-Uzbekistan Investment Company is instrumental in supporting these projects. He added, “I believe that with the strong political will and the warm relations between our leaders, we will certainly reach even greater achievements in our bilateral cooperation.”

Uzbekistan’s commitment to contributing to the reconstruction of cultural heritage sites in the Karabakh region has also been emphasized by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. On August 23, 2024, Presidents Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan attended the opening ceremony of a secondary school in the recently liberated town of Fuzuli.

The school, named after the famous scholar Mirzo Ulugbek, was built to accommodate 960 pupils, following an initiative by President Mirziyoyev. The ceremony was held during his state visit to Azerbaijan.

The opening of the school marks a significant moment in the recovery of Fuzuli, which had been under Armenian occupation from 1993 to 2020. Following the 44-day war in 2020, Azerbaijan regained control over Fuzuli, and the town, once abandoned, is now part of the large-scale reconstruction efforts in the newly liberated territories.

In recognition of the town’s symbolic importance, President Aliyev declared October 17 as Fuzuli City Day, to be commemorated annually starting in 2023.

By Tamilla Hasanova