Doha and Tashkent’s bilateral ties date back to 1997.

Qatar and Uzbekistan witnessed the signing of new agreements and memoranda in Doha on Monday during Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s state visit to the Gulf nation.

President Shavkat landed in Qatar on Sunday ahead of the inaugural ceremony of the Horticultural Expo 2023 on Monday, where he joined other leaders and diplomats in marking the opening of the exhibition.

During his visit, the Uzbek president held official talks with Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at the Amiri Diwan, where they discussed the enhancement of bilateral ties in addition to international developments of common interest.

“His Highness stressed the importance of the relations between the two countries and hoped that this visit will further push bilateral cooperation between the two countries to greater prospects,” the Amiri Diwan said in a statement.

The two countries inked several memoranda following the meeting in Doha, including a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Doha and Tashkent’s interior ministries over the cooperation in combating and preventing crimes.

Another MoU covered preventing and combating corruption between Qatar’s Administrative Control and Transparency and Uzbekistan’s Anti-Corruption Agency. 

The two countries signed a third MoU in the field of investment between the Qatar Investment Authority and Uzbekistan’s Fund for Reconstruction and Development.

Doha and Tashkent also signed one memorandum of cooperation between the Gulf state’s Ministry of Social Development and Uzbekistan’s National Agency for Social Protection.

Qatar and Uzbekistan’s governments also signed an agreement covering tourism and business events.

Qatar-Uzbekistan ties

Doha and Tashkent’s bilateral ties date back to 1997, when both countries signed a protocol that officially marked the start of their diplomatic relations.

Uzbekistan was also the first stop of Sheikh Tamim’s “milestone” Central Asia tour in June, where he met with President Mirziyoyev in Samarkand.

At the time, both leaders explored the implementation of mutual investment and trade plans while discussing regional and international developments. 

Some of the new agreements and MoU’s signed during the previous meeting included the exemption from travel visa requirements for holders of diplomatic passports and trade cooperation. 

The two countries had also inked an agreement to eliminate double taxation, another for cooperation and mutual administrative assistance in customs affairs, as well as cooperation in workers’ recruitment.

Sheikh Tamim and President Mirziyoyev marked the occasion by planting a tree at Samarkand’s Congress Center garden.

In a statement to QNA earlier this week, Qatar’s ambassador to Uzbekistan Hassan bin Hamza Hashim noted that President Mirziyoyev’s visit to Doha reflected the strength of the two countries’ ties.

“His Excellency said the basis of these relations lies in the religious, civilised, cultural ties, as well as common values and principles, adding that the desires of the leaders of the two nations in upgrading bilateral relations have been the starting point of the results that are materialising today,” the Qatari envoy told QNA.