The horizons of Uzbek diplomacy are expanding towards Africa

In recent years, the African continent has been included in the foreign policy priorities of most countries of the world, which pay special attention to this promising fast-growing market. Enormous resources and huge potential are concentrated here.  

Africa is the second largest continent after Eurasia, with 54 States, or almost a quarter of the members of the world community, located on its territory. The combined GDP of the countries in nominal terms reached $2.4 trillion by the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. 
To date, Uzbekistan has established diplomatic relations with 22 countries of the continent. At the same time, Uzbekistan's only diplomatic mission in Africa is the Embassy in Egypt. At the same time, 11 African countries have accredited their ambassadors to the Republic of Uzbekistan, including Egypt and Algeria have embassies in Tashkent. 
Based on spiritual closeness and historical ties, particularly close relations are developing with the countries of North Africa – Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. 
Dialogue with such an influential country as the Republic of South Africa is regularly maintained.
At the same time, Egypt has become a key partner of Uzbekistan on the African continent. Strengthening cooperation with this country has a special place among the priorities of Uzbekistan's foreign policy.
Today, Uzbekistan and Egypt maintain a high level of political trust, consistently promote trade, economic, investment, scientific and technical cooperation, and intensify cultural and humanitarian exchanges. This is confirmed by the results of the visit of President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Egypt on February 20-21, 2023.
During the talks, the two heads of state agreed to bring relations to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership, radically expanding cooperation in the fields of politics, security, trade and industrial cooperation, culture, science and education.
This visit of the head of Uzbekistan to Egypt laid a strong foundation and provided a positive dynamic for the development of Uzbek-Egyptian cooperation.
Regarding the agenda of Uzbek-African cooperation, it should be noted that at the moment, Uzbekistan's political relations with the states of the continent are more focused on cooperation within the framework of multilateral organizations and associations such as the UN, the OIC, the Non-Aligned Movement and others.
African countries are the largest regional bloc in the United Nations, which today accounts for about 28 percent of all votes in the UN General Assembly. Based on these objective reasons, Uzbekistan is moving with confident steps towards strengthening and further expanding cooperation with African States within the framework of various international and regional structures.
In the medium term, plans are being considered to establish diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and all African countries.
The interaction is based on the principles of general equality and mutually beneficial cooperation, the establishment of mechanisms for political consultations with a number of African countries, as well as the appointment of ambassadors and honorary consuls concurrently in the most developed countries of Africa.
Within the framework of Uzbekistan's active economic diplomacy, priority is given to the prospects for the development of trade and economic cooperation with African states. 
Almost all African countries are WTO members and participants in the African Continental Free Trade Area. In this context, the conclusion of trade agreements and the promotion of business ties between companies from Uzbekistan and African countries is the best approach to entering the market of the continent. 
Currently, 57 percent of Uzbekistan's exports to African countries go to Egypt. Other significant partners are Morocco (17%), Sudan (16%), South Africa (6%) and Tunisia (2%).
In 2016, the export of passenger cars produced in Uzbekistan to such African countries as Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Somalia was established. Household appliances and electronics were exported to African countries, in particular to Tanzania (the first batch of televisions worth $100,000 was shipped in 2021).
According to experts, there is a huge potential for establishing and developing mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation between Uzbekistan and African states.
The economies of most African countries are heavily dependent on agriculture. In this regard, the export of Uzbek fertilizers and agricultural machinery is attractive for many of them. 
One of the key areas in which Uzbekistan can establish mutually beneficial cooperation with African states is the joint management of exploration and production of mineral resources. Uzbekistan and African countries have significant reserves of minerals, which makes it possible to build mutually beneficial trade.
The development of cooperation in the chemical industry, as well as in the field of seismic research and management of natural disaster forecasting processes is also among the most promising areas of interaction between the parties.
The consistent development of partnerships with African countries in the field of food security is an important area that opens up significant prospects for Uzbekistan.
The Republic of Uzbekistan will be able to receive many types of agricultural products of tropical origin, seafood, rare minerals, as well as gain experience in the development of deposits of certain minerals necessary for the development of domestic industry. Large infrastructure projects implemented by many African countries can become potential objects of application of knowledge, technologies and experience of Uzbek companies.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in Rwanda has been in operation since 2021, forming a single commercial space for 54 States of the continent. In terms of the number of participating countries, it is the largest integration association in the world after the WTO. Within the framework of AfCFTA, Uzbekistan can gain access to the consumer market of the continent with a population of more than 1.27 billion people, with private transactions worth about $4 trillion. AfCFTA can also serve as an effective platform for establishing and developing business ties between Uzbekistan and African countries.
Despite the geographical remoteness of African countries, as well as Uzbekistan's lack of direct access to international maritime communications, Tashkent has been taking purposeful steps in recent years to intensify trade and economic ties with the states of this continent.
The following issues are considered as effective measures in this direction in the future:
- the opening of distribution hubs, branches, warehouses, showrooms of Uzbek manufacturing companies in the commercial ports of African countries, in particular in the Egyptian FEZ Port Said;
- establishment of comprehensive partnerships between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan and African states, exchange of visits of entrepreneurs and businessmen of the parties;
- establishment of trade representative offices of Uzbekistan in order to promote the export of domestic goods;
- consistent establishment and development of multilateral trade cooperation with representatives of the private sector of African countries, along with the intensification of economic ties through the state line;
- the introduction of the institute of business ambassadors of the Republic of Uzbekistan from among reputable and successful entrepreneurs in the Maghreb countries and in the "10 most developed countries of Africa" in order to organize access to African markets and promote the export potential of Uzbekistan.
According to experts, Tashkent's efforts to expand the horizons of its diplomacy towards Africa find an adequate response in the capitals of most African countries interested in establishing and expanding relations with Uzbekistan as a key state in the Central Asian region.
Nizomiddin Usmanov, 
Head of the Department of the Information and Analytical
Center for International Relations