KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 (NNN-Bernama) — Malaysia and Uzbekistan have commenced various degrees of agreement and cooperation, especially at the height of COVID-19 pandemic last year, which helped both countries to gain a strong foothold in politics, economy, trade, tourism and education sectors.
According to the statement by the Uzbekistan embassy in Malaysia, no doubt the global pandemic has proven to bear negative effects on diplomatic relations globally, but the relations between Malaysia and Uzbekistan remained resilient and robust amid these challenging times.
“Uzbekistan and Malaysia’s bilateral relations have continued to prosper for over two decades now and the strong relationship and diplomatic ties between both countries will continue to solidify as both countries celebrates its 29th anniversary of diplomatic and bilateral relations this year.
“The strong relationship is built on the foundation of mutual respect, peace, and shared prosperity,” said the statement sent to Bernama via WhatsApp.
Uzbekistan’s diplomatic relations with Malaysia began in 1992, a year after the republic declared its independence from the Soviet Union, and joined a grouping of former Soviet republics known as the Commonwealth of Independent States.
The Central Asian country continues to become Malaysia’s strategic economic and trade counterpart in Central Asia, with trade turnover between both countries recording close to US$76 million in 2020.
The statement said the second Inter-Parliamentary Forum between Malaysia and Uzbekistan was held Thursday under the chairmanship of Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis (Parliament) of Uzbekistan, Ulugbek Inoyatov and Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives) deputy speaker Mohd Rashid Hasnon.
“Also, in June 2020 was held the first Inter-parliamentary Forum on ‘Development of parliamentarism: The experience of Uzbekistan and Malaysia’.
“In 2020, the Interparliamentary Friendship Groups was established in the House of Representatives of the Parliament of Malaysia and Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan,” said the statement, adding Malaysia remains Uzbekistan’s important and strategic ally in Southeast Asia.
The statement said both countries established the Uzbek-Malaysia Joint Trade Committee in 2005, which formed the Malaysia-Uzbekistan Business Council under its scope.
Prior to this, Uzbekistan Ambassador to Malaysia, Ravshan Usmanov was reported as saying the opening of MATRADE office in Uzbekistan’s capital city of Tashkent in October 2019 showed the high interest of the Malaysian Government to further develop bilateral trade relations with Uzbekistan.
— NNN-BERNAMA