Georgia and Uzbekistan are entering a new phase in their economic relationship. During President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s state visit to Tbilisi, the two countries agreed to deepen cooperation across trade, investment, transport, technology, tourism, agriculture and industry.
The visit concluded with a Declaration on Strategic Partnership. For businesses, the significance goes beyond diplomacy: the new framework points toward stronger commercial links, new transport connections and closer institutional cooperation between the two markets.
A $1 Billion Trade Ambition
One of the central outcomes is a roadmap aimed at increasing annual bilateral trade to $1 billion. The target creates an incentive to diversify products and services, develop new commercial relationships and encourage more companies to explore the opposite market.
For Georgian companies, Uzbekistan offers access to a large Central Asian consumer and business market. For Uzbek companies, Georgia offers opportunities of its own while also providing connections toward the Black Sea, Türkiye and European markets.
Connectivity Moves Higher on the Agenda
Transport is one of the most strategically important parts of the partnership. Poti and Batumi ports are expected to play a greater role in regional cargo flows, while the two sides are exploring stronger links between the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway.
For companies in logistics, freight forwarding, warehousing, manufacturing, e-commerce and international trade, stronger connectivity can mean more routing options and new distribution opportunities between Central Asia and the Black Sea.
Investment and Sector Cooperation
Georgia and Uzbekistan also agreed to work toward creating a joint investment fund. Cooperation is expected to expand across manufacturing, agriculture, energy, pharmaceuticals, information technology and tourism.
These sectors are relevant not only to large investors. SMEs, technology companies, professional-service providers and businesses looking for local partners may also benefit as institutional links between the countries deepen.
Uzbekistan’s decision to open an embassy in Georgia adds another layer of permanent institutional infrastructure that can support business and government engagement.
What It Means for Business
The strategic partnership will not automatically create commercial deals. What it does is improve the framework in which those deals can develop.
For Georgian companies, it strengthens the case for assessing Uzbekistan as a market for expansion, investment and partnerships. For Uzbek companies, Georgia can increasingly function as both a market and a strategic connection point to wider western trade routes.
The next stage will depend on how effectively businesses translate the political framework into practical relationships, projects and transactions.
Cooperation Beyond Trade
The agreements signed during the visit also cover customs, digitalisation, education, agriculture, healthcare and tourism. These areas matter commercially because cross-border business depends on more than trade volumes alone. Customs procedures influence how efficiently goods move, digital cooperation can simplify interactions with institutions, and tourism creates demand across hospitality, aviation, retail and related services.
Taken together, the agreements point toward a more integrated relationship between the two markets. The strongest opportunity may come from combining improved connectivity with sector-level cooperation: transport links can support trade, while stronger institutional relationships can make it easier for companies to identify partners and develop projects across both countries.
FROM STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TO BUSINESS GROWTH.
Sources: Presidency of the Republic of Uzbekistan / Anadolu Agency