On May 28, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni landed in Samarkand for her much-anticipated visit to Central Asia, between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. This marks Meloni’s first official mission to the country, following a brief stopover in Tashkent in July 2024 on her return from China, during which she was welcomed by Uzbek Foreign Minister Saidov.
After a cultural visit to the capital of Tamerlane, the official agenda resumed on Thursday, May 29. Meloni and President Mirziyoyev discussed the establishment of an intergovernmental commission, accompanied by a ceremony for the exchange of agreements and the naming of a street in Samarkand after the city of Rome. Also attending the meetings were the Italian Ambassador to Tashkent, Piergabriele Papadia de Bottini — who signed several agreements on behalf of Italy — and Marco Farci, Vice President and Head of Institutional Relations of CIUZ, who followed the ministerial mission.
The meeting concluded with a joint declaration by the two leaders, confirming the strengthening of the strategic partnership with a focus on economic cooperation and investments. In fact, 14 agreements were subsequently signed, worth over 3 billion euros, across various sectors including investment, energy, and education. Among these was an agreement by CIUZ member Danieli with the Uzbek Ministry of Investments, Industry, and Trade for cooperation in the metallurgical sector.
List of agreements:
Intergovernmental Declaration on the Promotion and Protection of Investments
Intergovernmental Declaration on Cooperation in the Field of Raw Materials
Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Fields of Migration and Mobility
Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Protection
Cooperation Agreement in the Field of Cultural Heritage
Memorandum of Understanding between Zamin and the company Sogesid
Agreement between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Italian Climate Fund
Interdepartmental Memorandum of Understanding in the Agricultural Sector with Confagricoltura
Agreement between the University of Tuscia and the Uzbek Ministry of Agriculture for the establishment of a university branch in Tashkent
Memorandum of Understanding between the Polytechnic University of Turin and the Uzbek Ministry of Higher Education on Scientific Cooperation in the Field of Alternative Energy
Cooperation Agreement between the University of Pisa and the Ministry of Mining Industry and Geology
Memorandum of Understanding between Ansaldo Energia and the Uzbek Atomic Energy Agency on Cooperation in the Nuclear Energy Sector
Memorandum of Understanding between Danieli and the Ministry of Investments, Industry, and Trade for Cooperation in the Metallurgical Sector
Memorandum of Understanding between SACE and the Ministry of Investments, Industry, and Trade on Cooperation in Guarantee Insurance Mechanisms
Meloni in Astana: the First Central Asia–Italy Summit
The Prime Minister’s visit continued on May 30 in Kazakhstan, in Astana, where she attended, together with President Mirziyoyev, the first Central Asia–Italy Summit. In her speech, Meloni once again highlighted cooperation in the fields of energy, critical raw materials, and infrastructure, with particular attention to the Middle Corridor as a vital link between Asia and Europe. She also addressed environmental issues, mentioning the Italian Climate Fund as a tool for joint projects, including initiatives for the regeneration of the Aral Sea.
Italy–Uzbekistan Partnership: Recent Developments
These events take place within a broader phase of strengthening relations between Italy and Uzbekistan, which had already seen two key moments in 2023: the visit of Uzbek President Mirziyoyev to Rome and that of Italian President Sergio Mattarella to Tashkent. On both occasions, the two countries elevated their bilateral cooperation to the status of a strategic partnership, which was officially reaffirmed in Samarkand on May 29.
The identified areas of cooperation include energy, critical raw materials, industry, agriculture, environmental protection, education, culture, and infrastructure — all sectors of great interest for Italian companies and for CIUZ, which for years has been promoting and facilitating economic and cultural collaborations between Italy and Uzbekistan.
Opportunities for Italian Companies: President Veronesi’s Remarks
On the occasion of Prime Minister Meloni’s visit to Uzbekistan, CIUZ President Giorgio Veronesi gave an interview to the Italian daily Il Giornale, in which he outlined the economic opportunities that the Central Asian country offers to Italian companies. Veronesi mentioned the sectors of greatest interest for economic cooperation — from Oil & Gas to textiles, alternative energy, and pharmaceuticals — also highlighting the importance of metallurgy, agri-industry, infrastructure, and technical training, areas in which Italy can offer advanced technologies, expertise, and innovative solutions.
During the interview, he also emphasized the active role of CIUZ in providing information, contacts, and operational support to companies interested in starting or expanding their activities in Uzbekistan, while expressing the hope for closer coordination between Italian companies and institutions:
“It is very important that Italy does not rely solely on the initiatives of individual companies, but adopts a true ‘country system’ approach, as countries like France and Germany already successfully do, with institutions working closely alongside businesses. Prime Minister Meloni’s visit can encourage our institutions to seriously consider both the opportunities and the challenges faced by Italian companies, and to provide the necessary support at every stage of market entry, project implementation, and operations.”
****
For additional information, please contact CIUZ’s secretariat at the following address:
Samantha Rampini
Chamber of Commerce Italy-Uzbekistan
Via Monte Rosa, 93
20149 Milano
cell. +39 349 8847924