OREANDA-NEWS. November 24, 2009. Prospects of Trade, Economic and Investment Cooperation were discussed at the Uzbek-Norwegian business forum in Tashkent.

They highlighted the gradual development of cooperation between our countries in many spheres. The Norwegian businessmen were delivered information on the priority directions of attraction of investments to Uzbekistan, the privatization process, reforms in the economy, banking, oil and gas, small business, favorable investment climate and opportunities in the Navoi free industrial-economic zone.

“Uzbekistan is a country with huge economic potential,” Bard Svendsen, deputy director general of the CIS Department of the Norway Foreign Ministry said. “Favorable investment environment in the country attracts the attention of the foreign businessmen. That will promote expansion of our trade, economic and investment interaction. Our key goal is development and implementation of joints projects together with Uzbek partners. Uzbekistan and Norway have extensive opportunities for development of bilateral trade and economic relationships. The trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Norway increased almost two times in January-September 2009 compared to the same period of last year.”

The detailed opinion exchange on economic potential and opportunities of Uzbekistan and Norway took place in the forum.  The forum participants discussed issues of further expansion of trade, economic and investment cooperation between the two countries, attraction of Norwegian companies into the privatization process in our country.

The representatives of a dozen large companies of Norway that participated in the forum expressed their interest in the development of cooperation with Uzbek businessmen.

“Our company is dealing with financing of small and entrepreneurial business, tourism, trade and industrial projects and rendering consulting services,” Johan Byorkewall, senior advisor of the Innovation Norway state agency said. “Our countries possess colossal resources for implementation of scaled joint investment projects. We take a special interest in expansion of trade, economic and investment ties, cooperation in chemical, energy and tourism areas with Uzbek partners.”

Members of the Norwegian delegation also visited a number of ministries and departments of Uzbekistan for talks on expansion of cooperation.