On May 10, 2019, the EU Delegation to the Republic of Uzbekistan organized a number of events in the framework of the celebration of Europe Day and on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the European Union (1994-2019). As part of the Europe Day celebrations, the EU-Uzbekistan Cooperation Forum was held, which was preceded by a Mini-Exhibition of EU Funded Projects. The purpose of the events is to recognize and celebrate the successes of bilateral cooperation and to discuss future prospects. The exhibition featured 10 development projects implemented with EU support. The projects of the organization were presented by partners such as the Association of private touism agencies of Uzbekistan (APTA), UN, UNICEF Children's Fund, Regional Environment Center, GIZ, French Cooperation Agency, International Commission of Jurists, and others. The Forum was attended by over 80 guests, from among the heads of international organizations, ministries and departments of Uzbekistan, representatives of civil society, as well as key partners. During the Forum, new trends in the diversification of agriculture were discussed, as well as various aspects of Uzbekistan's entry into the world market. In his welcoming speech, the EU Ambassador to Uzbekistan Eduards Stiprais said: “Today we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the EU and Uzbekistan. During these years, our relations have gone through different stages. And the current stage, which began almost 2.5 years ago , demonstrates noticeable results that are associated with Uzbekistan's entry into the international arena. Today, Uzbekistan is open for business and is looking for active ways to enter the World Trade Organization. Today we are involved in an active dialogue that covers all aspects of our relationship, including political and financial support for ongoing reforms. both within the country and in relations with closest neighbors. And we hope to strengthen our relationship through active discussion of the updated Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation. " projects. In her speech, the chairman of the APTA G. Israilova noted the positive results of cooperation. In particular, she emphasized that thanks to the implementation of the project “Strengthening rural and ecotourism through business associations for sustainable economic development in Central Asia”, it was possible to achieve many of the goals set: to increase the level of entrepreneurial knowledge and employment of the rural population, as well as to increase the development potential of CBT- tourism in Uzbekistan.
