Uzbekistan, Türkiye Set to Deepen Strategic Alliance at 4th High-Level Council

On January 29, 2026, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev paid an official visit to Türkiye at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, as Ankara hosts the fourth meeting of the Türkiye–Uzbekistan High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council. The visit comes at a time when bilateral relations are gaining new momentum, supported by political trust, growing economic ties, and a shared regional vision.

The council session, jointly chaired by both presidents, has emerged as a key institutional platform for advancing bilateral cooperation in priority fields such as trade, investment, education, energy, transport, and defense. Delegations from both countries are expected to assess the implementation of existing commitments and conclude a wide-ranging set of new agreements following the negotiations.

Moreover, a series of humanitarian and cultural initiatives are scheduled as part of the visit, demonstrating the expanding people-to-people dimension of Türkiye–Uzbekistan relations.

Regarding the Türkiye–Uzbekistan High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, the body was formally established in 2018. Its first meeting was convened in Ankara in 2020, where the two leaders laid the institutional groundwork of the council and identified priorities for deepening diplomatic engagement.

The second summit, held on March 29–30, 2022, in Tashkent, marked a qualitative shift in bilateral ties, elevating them to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. During the third meeting in Ankara in June 2024, the two sides signed nineteen bilateral agreements and set an ambitious target to increase bilateral trade to USD 5 billion.

The current visit by the President of Uzbekistan to Türkiye is intended to further consolidate bilateral ties by intensifying political dialogue, expanding trade volumes, advancing joint projects in key economic sectors, enhancing transport connectivity, sustaining active cultural and humanitarian exchanges, and reviewing the outcomes of the recently convened first meeting of the 4+4 mechanism.

The “4+4 format” between Türkiye and Uzbekistan is a new high-level strategic dialogue mechanism involving four key officials from each country, the Foreign Minister, Defense Minister, Interior Minister, and the head of intelligence, who meet together on January 20, 2026 to coordinate on security, defense, and diplomacy, moving beyond standard diplomatic talks to address regional challenges with an action plan for future cooperation.

The strategic relationship between Türkiye and Uzbekistan is already producing visible results. According to the National Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan on Statistics, as of January 2026, there are more than 2,100 enterprises with Turkish capital operating across all regions of Uzbekistan, the Republic of Karakalpakstan, and the capital, Tashkent. Moreover, Türkiye is one of the top trade partners of Uzbekistan, with trade turnover exceeding USD 3 billion in 2025.

Education and culture also remain central pillars of the partnership. During the visit, officials also attended the opening ceremony of the first Uzbek school abroad. Moreover, the number of students from Uzbekistan pursuing their education in Türkiye has increased rapidly over the last several years.

As of October 2025, there are over 2,200 Uzbek students in Türkiye. Tourism is also one of the fastest-growing pillars of bilateral partnership. In 2025, nearly 175,000 Turkish citizens visited Uzbekistan, while close to 270,000 Uzbek citizens traveled to Türkiye. Tourism, cultural exchanges, and humanitarian cooperation continue to strengthen people-to-people ties between the two countries.

Uzbekistan and Türkiye are also members of several international and regional organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of Turkic States, the Organization for Islamic Cooperation, and the Economic Cooperation Organization. Recently, both countries joined the Board of Peace as founding members, demonstrating a shared vision for cooperation and regional stability.

As the two countries engage in high-level talks in Ankara, the visit demonstrates more than a usual diplomatic exchange. It reflects the steady institutionalization of bilateral ties, shaped by shared historical connections, internal reforms, and sustained political commitment. Taken together, these factors point to a long-term strategic partnership that is increasingly forward-looking, pragmatic, and grounded in mutual interests.