OREANDA-NEWS  Russia and Uzbekistan signed agreements worth $ 27 billion within the framework of the first interregional forum of the two countries held in Tashkent.

This was reported on Friday by the Ministry of economy of Uzbekistan.

"Within the framework of the First Russian-Uzbek forum of interregional cooperation, about 800 trade and investment a greements and memoranda totaling about $27 billion were signed," the report said.

The Ministry also noted that an agreement was reached to open 79 joint Uzbek-Russian enterprises, 23 trading houses and to create 20 wholesale and distribution centers in Uzbekistan.

Today Russia is one of the leading trade and economic partners of Uzbekistan. The country has more than 960 enterprises with the participation of Russian capital and, according to experts of the chamber of Commerce and industry of Uzbekistan, by the end of the year their number will exceed one thousand. Uzbek business, which has already opened more than 560 enterprises, is also active in Russia.

According to official data, Uzbekistan is in fourth place in trade with Russia among the CIS countries. At the end of 2017, it amounted to 3.6 billion dollars and increased by 33.9%.

In January-February this year, the trade turnover increased by 50.2% and reached almost $ 600 million. Russia's exports grew by 59.7% and imports by 28.1%. At the same time, the total volume of investments from Russia to Uzbekistan exceeded 8.5 billion dollars.

Earlier it was reported that the forum is expected to sign numerous agreements on partnership between universities of Russia and Uzbekistan, on the establishment of branches of Russian universities in Uzbekistan, joint faculties, departments, educational programs to obtain "double diplomas" in the most popular specialties in Uzbekistan.