Malaysian Investments In Uzbekistan Surpass US$3 Bln

KUALA LUMPUR, June 2 (Bernama) -- Malaysian investments in Uzbekistan have surpassed US$3 billion, underscoring deepening economic ties between the two countries.

The number of Malaysia-Uzbekistan joint ventures has also risen to 47, Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Malaysia Karomidin Gadoyev said on Tuesday.

He said the increase in joint ventures underscored growing business engagement between Malaysia and Uzbekistan.

"When I just came to Malaysia (in 2023), there was less than 30 joint ventures, Malaysia-Uzbekistan joint ventures in Uzbekistan. Now we have 47 joint ventures," he said at the Uzbekistan-Malaysia Business and Tourism Forum themed "Fergana Valley – The Pearl of Central Asia" here on Tuesday.

Gadoyev added that the Uzbek government had tasked him with hosting a governor from Uzbekistan in Malaysia every month to further promote business and investment cooperation.

The forum was attended by Fergana Region Governor Khayrullo Bozorov and representatives from the business and tourism sectors of both countries.

Describing Malaysia as one of Uzbekistan's key economic partners and a longstanding friend in Southeast Asia, Gadoyev said bilateral trade grew by nearly 20 per cent last year, while exports of Uzbek fruits and vegetables to Malaysia doubled.

"Last year, we developed our trade turnover in 2025 nearly 20 per cent. Especially, we doubled our export of our fruits and vegetables to Malaysian market," he said.

On tourism, he said the number of Malaysian visitors to Uzbekistan doubled last year, with nearly 6,000 Malaysians visiting the country as of June.

He added that Uzbekistan was working with airlines to expand direct connectivity between Malaysia and major Uzbek cities, including Samarkand and Bukhara.

-- BERNAMA