OSLO, October 27. /Dunyo IA/. The first Norway-Uzbekistan Business Forum, dedicated to the prospects of cooperation in sustainable development, innovation and information technology, has been held in Norway, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

Event was organized by the Embassy of Uzbekistan in cooperation with the Small and Medium Enterprises Association of Norway (“SME Norway”), with the participation of a delegation from Uzbekistan.

Forum was attended by the President of “SME Norway” Yousuf Gilani, Ambassador of Uzbekistan Rakhmatulla Nurimbetov, Advisor to the Minister of Digital Technologies Akihiro Sakurai and Head of the Norwegian Business Association Øyvind Skare, who delivered welcoming remarks.

During the forum, participants discussed the development of Uzbekistan's digital economy, the growth of IT service exports, the creation of infrastructure for technology companies, and opportunities for cooperation in the outsourcing sector. Representatives of IT Park as well as the Samarkand and Jizzakh regions presented the country's potential and prospects for implementing joint innovation projects.

Yousuf Gilani highly praised the ongoing reforms in Uzbekistan and the conditions created for foreign investors, calling on Norwegian companies to more actively enter the Uzbek market. The infrastructural initiatives of the “New Tashkent” mega-project were also presented to the attendees.

Presentations were delivered by Uzbek companies, including “Talenthub”, “Z Mile”, “Global Outsourcing Partners” and “World Mmm”, as well as Norwegian firms “Resilienza Holding AS” and “Sensoeconomic”. Forum concluded with bilateral B2B meetings.

Following the event, agreements were reached with “Volür”, “Mesh Youngstorget AS”, “Viznor”, “Qualcomm Tech”, “UzNord Import AS”, and the “SME Norway” association to cooperate on the application of artificial intelligence in the food industry, startup support, employment opportunities for Uzbek specialists and organization of reciprocal business missions.

Parties also discussed expanding the supply of Uzbek agricultural produce to Norway.