Poti port hits capacity as Georgia pushes ahead with major expansion
Georgia’s busiest sea gateway has reached its capacity limit, adding urgency to plans for a major expansion of Poti port as the country seeks...
Leaders of Uzbekistan and Pakistan has agreed to establish a Supreme Council of Strategic Partnership and hold its first meeting next year. Pakistan's Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif paid an official visit to Uzbekistan after his two-day talks in Azerbaijan.
On 26th February, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif held negotiations in Tashkent.
The parties signed a joint declaration and a protocol on the establishment of a Bilateral Strategic Partnership Council at the highest level, aimed at "further developing and strengthening Uzbek-Pakistani relations through multifaceted cooperation," according to the statement.
"The visit underscored the deep-rooted, historic, and fraternal ties between Pakistan and Uzbekistan and reaffirmed the commitment of the leadership of both countries to further strengthen bilateral cooperation," - said today's statement of Prime Minister's Office.
Both parties shared their perspectives on improving collaboration across various sectors, such as trade, connectivity, culture, and exchanges between people. The discussions emphasized the advancement of regional connectivity via the trans-Afghan railway and trade corridors.
Mirziyoyev and Sharif also participated in the Uzbek-Pakistani business-forum.
In his speech, Mirziyoyev emphasized that Uzbekistan has become Pakistan’s largest trade partner in Central Asia.
Trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Pakistan grew from $122 million in 2019 to $387 million in 2023. In 2024, the trade turnover exceeded $400 million and the number of joint enterprises reached 130.
Over the past few years the volume of cargo transportation through the multimodal corridor “Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan” has increased fivefold.
“Having huge potential, our economies can effectively complement each other,” said the Uzbek president.
He mentioned the beginning of construction of a railway connecting China with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, adding that in the future, this strategic railway may have a link to the ports of Pakistan, which will significantly increase mutual trade and investment.
Uzbek and Pakistani companies consider cooperation in pharmaceuticals, electrical engineering, agrarian sector, agricultural machinery, geology and mineral resources, textile, leather and other industries.
The parties agreed to increase trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Pakistan to $2 billion and to establish a joint transport and logistics company.
Uzbekistan's government portal reported that following documents were signed during the visit in the presence of the two leaders:
- Agreement on cooperation in the field of science, technology and innovations;
- Agreement on visa-free travels of holders of diplomatic passports;
- Agreement on cooperation between the Ministries of Interior;
- Agreement on cooperation in the field of vocational education;
- Agreement on cooperation in the field of youth policy;
- Agreement on cooperation between national information agencies;
- cooperation agreements and arrangements between diplomatic academies, the cities of Tashkent and Lahore.
Four people were killed, including a child, in Ukrainian strikes on the Russian port city of Novorossiysk overnight, according to the governor of the Krasnodar region. Ukraine's drone forces commander, Robert Brovdi, said Russian military ships were destroyed in the attacks.
Wildfires have broken out in Türkiye’s Antalya province, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate as strong winds fuelled the flames.
A TV channel was struck during a live broadcast on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Russian strikes on Kyiv killed at least three people, the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Meanwhile, drones hit civilian infrastructure in Russia's southwestern Saratov region.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) allegedly launched two ballistic missile attacks against a U.S. Navy warship over the past two days.
Overnight Iranian strikes on an air base in Jordan damaged multiple U.S. aircraft and left one without a wing, American media reported. Meanwhile, explosions were heard across parts of southern Iran according to local media reports.
Georgia’s busiest sea gateway has reached its capacity limit, adding urgency to plans for a major expansion of Poti port as the country seeks to strengthen its role in the Middle Corridor trade route between Asia and Europe.
Overnight Iranian strikes on an air base in Jordan damaged multiple U.S. aircraft and left one without a wing, American media reported. Meanwhile, explosions were heard across parts of southern Iran according to local media reports.
Kabul could become the first modern city in the world to run out of water by 2029, the UK head of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has warned following a week-long visit to Afghanistan.
The Azerbaijan International Development Agency (AIDA) and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) have signed an agreement to strengthen international development and humanitarian cooperation.
Azerbaijan's education system is showing some of its strongest signs of progress in years, with the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results revealing significant improvements in mathematics, science and reading.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment