This opinion was expressed by Shakhnoza Kodirova, head of the department at the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan (ISRS), during an online forum of analytical centers in the "Central Asia – Germany" format.

During the event, special attention was paid to discussing current issues of cooperation between regions, as well as promising areas of cooperation in trade, economic, transport, energy, and cultural and humanitarian spheres.

Speaking at a session dedicated to economic and business partnership, Shakhnoza Kodirova emphasized that the priority vector of interaction between the countries of the region and Germany is the consistent expansion of trade and investment ties. Thus, by the end of 2025, mutual trade volume reached €10 billion, demonstrating double-digit growth rates.

"This trend is confirmed not only by quantitative indicators but also by the qualitative transformation of interactions. German businesses are shifting from a trade presence model to localized production, from the assembly of agricultural machinery to the creation of high-tech chemical clusters," the expert noted.

Over the past two years, the number of German-owned companies in the region has increased by more than 15%. This demonstrates high investor confidence and the ability of businesses to adapt to new global realities.

Despite the positive trend, current trade turnover accounts for only 0.5% of Germany's total foreign trade. According to the ISRS expert, to realize the colossal untapped potential, it is necessary to intensify cooperation in areas such as infrastructure and standardization, digital transformation, energy efficiency, medicine, and pharmaceuticals.

In summary, the ISRS representative concluded that, as part of its current policy of diversifying its foreign economic relations, Germany is focusing on investing in new, promising markets. In this context, Central Asia is a systemic and reliable partner. The synergy between German technologies and regional growth platforms will allow the parties to effectively coordinate their efforts, creating new growth opportunities and strengthening the long-term strategic foundation of their relationship.

The online forum was organized by the International Institute for Central Asia. It was attended by government officials, as well as leading experts and researchers from Central Asian countries and Germany.