MINSK, June 18. /Dunyo IA/.   Irina Rusak, Head of the Economic Analysis Department at the Belarusian Institute of Strategic Research, shared her insights with Dunyo IA regarding the 5^th Tashkent International Investment Forum, which is taking place in the capital of Uzbekistan from June 16^th to 18^th:

-  Over the past five years, Tashkent International Investment Forum has become one of the leading platforms in Central Asia for global investors.

The declared themes of the event ranging from renewable energy and infrastructure to industry, the agro-industrial complex, the digital economy and logistics reflect the comprehensive breadth of the Eurasian investment integration agenda.

Belarusian analysts are keen to study the experience of establishing and operating the forum as a world-class platform. Notably, while the event brought together delegates from 56 countries in 2022, this year's participants include over 60 government delegations from nearly 100 nations. The forum's financial capitalization this year is projected to surpass the outcomes of 2025, during which agreements and trade contracts worth 30.5 billion US dollars were signed.

Currently, our institute, as a member of the SCO Consortium of Economic Think Tanks, is participating in the preparation of an annual report titled 'The Development of Electronic Commerce in the SCO Member States as a Factor for Strengthening Regional Economic Cooperation amid Global Challenges.' Its preliminary results indicate that investment interaction has reached a completely new level today.

Across Central Asia, according to data from the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies, the volume of accumulated foreign investment has grown nearly threefold in recent years. Within the region, industry is expanding at a rate of 6 percent, and exports to external markets have doubled.

Belarusian Institute of Strategic Research is also carefully studying Uzbekistan's experience in implementing its large-scale privatization program, as well as the modernization of its industrial sector, energy sphere, and other key areas.

In this regard, it is essential to note the strong cooperative ties between Belarus and Uzbekistan. I would like to place particular emphasis on achievements in the information space that are less frequently highlighted in the media - namely, commodity exchange trading and digital currencies. Uzbekistan is an active participant in trading on the Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange. Currently, an analytical assessment of the future potential of using cryptocurrencies for cross-border transactions is of great importance. These are clear examples of utilizing new instruments of interaction within the economies of the two states.

As an observer state to the EAEU, Uzbekistan is well-acquainted with the processes of customs administration for e-commerce goods, as well as all mechanisms associated with expanding sales conditions and investing within the Eurasian Economic Union market, where Belarus serves as an active participant and initiator of numerous harmonization initiatives.

Today, Uzbekistan stands as one of the most promising platforms for the export of Belarusian goods and services, as well as for long-term investment cooperation. Sustained economic growth, a young population, and a strong public demand for modernization render this market exceptionally attractive for Belarusian manufacturers of machinery, food products, construction materials, pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, IT and educational services.

There is a great deal in common between the Belarusian and Uzbek special tax regimes, which serves as a catalyst for growth in establishing joint assembly plants and acts as a form of institutional and legal guarantee for mutual capital investments in the economies of both countries.

Thus, Tashkent International Investment Forum defines a new architecture for investment cooperation and stands as an highly attractive platform for international players.