Investment, logistics and sustainable development are opening new opportunities for bilateral cooperation

The value of international cooperation is increasingly measured not by the number of meetings held or documents signed, but by what follows: new businesses, access to markets, lower transport costs and better opportunities for people. This results-oriented approach is particularly relevant to the growing partnership between Uzbekistan and the Sultanate of Oman.

The two countries bring complementary strengths. Uzbekistan is expanding its role as a manufacturing and transport hub in Central Asia, while Oman offers established ports along Indian Ocean trade routes, international investment expertise and access to Gulf markets. Their cooperation can therefore extend well beyond bilateral trade, connecting production, distribution and logistics into more integrated value chains.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s planned visit to Oman could provide fresh momentum. During a telephone conversation on 4 March 2026, President Mirziyoyev and Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said referred to the forthcoming high-level visit to Muscat.

Political trust and investment opportunities

Uzbekistan and Oman established diplomatic relations on 22 April 1992. Their engagement has been shaped by pragmatism, respect for sovereignty and a shared preference for dialogue. The ninth round of foreign-ministry political consultations took place in Muscat on 30 June 2026. On 13 October, the foreign ministers again discussed expanding trade, tourism, investment and transport and logistics projects.

The investment agenda is gaining substance. According to information released after talks on 29 April, ten enterprises with Omani capital were operating in Uzbekistan, while around 20 additional joint projects with a combined estimated value of US$3.2 billion were under development. This figure requires an important distinction: it represents a prospective project pipeline, not capital already invested or disbursed. The priority now is to move promising proposals toward financing, implementation and operating businesses.

The Uzbek-Oman Investment Company, UzOman, provides an existing platform for this effort. Oman Investment Authority holds 75 per cent of its capital and Uzbekistan’s Fund for Reconstruction and Development the remaining 25 per cent. Beyond providing finance, the platform can help connect investment with industrial partnerships, management expertise and export opportunities. Measurable milestones, rather than headline commitments alone, will be central to its long-term impact.

Logistics: linking inland terminals to global trade

A particularly concrete development came on 3 June 2026, when Oman’s Asyad Group announced its acquisition of controlling interests in two Uzbek logistics platforms, Universal Logistics Services and Highway Logistics Center, through a transaction involving Orient Group and UzOman. According to Asyad, the two assets account for approximately 25 per cent of Uzbekistan’s railway container traffic. This was a completed transaction, not merely an expression of interest, and it creates an opportunity to connect Uzbekistan’s inland logistics facilities with Asyad’s international network.

Oman’s ports of Duqm, Sohar and Salalah could offer Uzbekistan additional gateways to overseas markets. Yet the existence of port infrastructure does not automatically make a route competitive. For landlocked Uzbekistan, transit arrangements, border formalities, total freight charges, shipment volumes and delivery times are decisive. The value of a new corridor should therefore be tested through pilot shipments of textiles, processed foods, chemicals and manufactured goods, with transparent comparisons of door-to-door costs against established routes.

Digital exchanges between terminals, ports and customs authorities could make such routes more predictable. If successful, logistics cooperation would mean more than asset ownership: it would offer exporters a practical choice of routes and strengthen supply-chain resilience.

Economic zones as a platform for industrial partnerships

Fresh discussions in Muscat on 10 November highlighted another area of potential cooperation. Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, Chairman of Oman’s Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones, met a delegation from Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade. According to the Omani account, the parties explored export-oriented manufacturing, investment facilitation and the exchange of experience in managing economic and free zones.

The talks also considered trade, distribution and logistics centres for Uzbek products in Oman, connected to logistics hubs in Uzbekistan. A joint roadmap, a possible working group and a draft memorandum of understanding were discussed. These remain proposals under consideration; no signed agreement was announced in the reports reviewed.

The discussions come ahead of the Uzbekistan-Oman Business Forum scheduled for 16-17 November in Muscat, alongside a Made in Uzbekistan exhibition. The announced programme covers investment and trade, transport corridors, energy including renewables, mining and chemicals, agriculture, food security and tourism. The forum’s success will ultimately depend on whether business contacts lead to supply contracts, co-investment and commercially viable projects.

Sustainable development and people-to-people ties

Uzbekistan’s development priorities under the Uzbekistan-2030 Strategy and Oman Vision 2040 share a strong emphasis on diversification, efficient resource use and modern technology. Both countries face challenges related to arid climates, water scarcity and extreme heat. Environmental cooperation is therefore closely linked to economic resilience.

During Oman Climate Week in September 2026, Uzbek and Omani representatives discussed desalination, wastewater treatment and reuse, salt-resilient agriculture, ecosystem restoration, youth exchanges and measures to address desertification. These areas align with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including clean water, affordable and clean energy, responsible production, climate action and partnerships. Their practical value, however, should be assessed through measurable improvements, such as water saved, energy efficiency gains, technologies deployed and specialists trained.

People-to-people links can reinforce this cooperation. The launch of direct Muscat-Tashkent flights in July has made travel more convenient for businesses and visitors. Shared interest in cultural heritage, pilgrimage tourism, academic exchanges and museum partnerships offers further scope for sustained interaction between the two societies.

A practical agenda for the next stage

Four steps could help turn opportunity into lasting results. First, the two countries could maintain a joint list of priority investment projects, recording responsible institutions, financing sources, deadlines and implementation status. Second, logistics projects should be accompanied by trial shipments, comparative freight calculations and digital information exchange among ports, terminals and customs services.

Third, cooperation between economic zones could focus on export manufacturing, product certification, workforce development and streamlined investor services. Fourth, joint water and energy projects should be evaluated through clear, publicly understandable performance indicators. Such an approach would make it easier to distinguish announcements from achievements and ensure that cooperation responds to the needs of businesses and communities.

Uzbekistan and Oman have a solid basis for a long-term partnership. The next measure of success will be their ability to translate political trust into operational enterprises, reliable trade routes and stronger economic opportunities. That is also where the lasting significance of the forthcoming high-level dialogue will lie.

Jakhongir Isaev
Head of Department, NGO Center for Sustainable Development