Uzbekistan and the UK: A New Era of Business Diplomacy
Mirshod Shakirov, founder of Business Diplomat, aims to institutionalize business diplomacy in Uzbekistan, a first in Central Asia.
As the global economy becomes increasingly complex, business diplomacy is emerging as a strategic instrument for advancing economic relations between countries.
In recent years, large-scale economic reforms in Uzbekistan have significantly enhanced the country’s investment appeal on the international stage. Policies aimed at supporting the private sector, developing capital markets, creating favorable conditions for foreign investors, and expanding export capacity are turning Uzbekistan into one of Central Asia’s most active economic partners.
Against this backdrop, the concept of business diplomacy is gaining increasing importance as a new model of international economic cooperation. Experts note that in the 21st century, economic relations between countries are no longer driven solely by formal diplomatic negotiations. They are increasingly shaped by direct cooperation among entrepreneurs, investors, universities, research institutions, and professional organizations.
In Uzbekistan and across Central Asia, one of the international experts who has been systematically promoting this concept and was among the first to focus on developing global business diplomacy as a practical model of cooperation is international entrepreneur Mirshod Shakirov. He has worked at the United Nations General Assembly in New York and is the initiator of Business Diplomat, described as the world’s first global Think-and-Do Tank established along the modern Silk Road, as well as the World Business Diplomacy Council.
Since 2023, Shakirov has been working consistently to develop the concept of business diplomacy in Uzbekistan at an institutional level. To this end, he founded the Business Diplomat international platform and has actively promoted business diplomacy as one of the modern instruments for attracting investment, developing international trade and exports, strengthening cross-border business ties, and expanding economic cooperation between countries.
To date, the platform has organized dozens of international business delegations, established direct contacts between hundreds of entrepreneurs and investors, and created dialogue platforms bringing together representatives of government agencies, international organizations, universities, and the business community. According to experts, such initiatives are helping transform business diplomacy into one of the modern mechanisms for strengthening Uzbekistan’s international economic cooperation.
From Investment to Practical Cooperation
In recent years, the Tashkent International Investment Forum has become one of the region’s most prominent economic platforms. The forum brings together international financial institutions, major investors, and global companies, providing an opportunity to showcase Uzbekistan’s investment potential.
According to Mirshod Shakirov, meetings held during the forum with Lord Jason Stockwood, the United Kingdom’s Minister for Investment, and Timothy Smart, the British Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Uzbekistan, focused on expanding bilateral investment, developing private-sector cooperation, and strengthening direct ties between entrepreneurs in the two countries.
In his view, the political trust that has developed between Uzbekistan and the United Kingdom is now being further reinforced through concrete economic projects, investments, joint initiatives, and business partnerships.
“Today, Uzbek professionals and entrepreneurs working abroad are becoming an important strategic resource for our country. Along with investment, they can bring modern management expertise, advanced technologies, international business networks, and new export opportunities. In the 21st century, the success of economic diplomacy depends precisely on this kind of human capital,” Mirshod Shakirov says.
London — A New Hub for International Cooperation
Business Diplomat plans to establish its Global Operations Office in central London in the near future. Operating from one of the world’s leading financial centers will provide the platform with an opportunity to take business ties between Uzbekistan, the United Kingdom, and other countries to a new level.
One of the office’s key objectives will be to provide practical assistance to Uzbek entrepreneurs seeking access to international markets, develop relationships with investors, and strengthen international cooperation on an institutional basis.
Today, Business Diplomat operates in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and Central Asia, developing international business missions, business diplomacy programs, and global cooperation platforms.
One of the platform’s strategic projects is UZBEX.com, which aims to create a modern online and offline showroom system designed to bring “Made in Uzbekistan” products to markets in the United Kingdom and Europe.
Under the plan, the first showroom and logistics center for products manufactured by Uzbek companies will be established in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The initiative is expected not only to simplify access to new export markets for local manufacturers, but also to enhance the competitiveness of Uzbek products in international markets.
The international initiatives undertaken by Business Diplomat are also receiving recognition from foreign partners. During his visit to New Zealand, for example, Mirshod Shakirov participated in a podcast organized at the invitation of Simon Bridges, Chairman of the Auckland Business Chamber, former New Zealand Minister of Transport, and former leader of the opposition.
During the discussion, he spoke positively about the policy of openness and economic reforms implemented by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. He emphasized that these reforms have strengthened the confidence of Uzbek entrepreneurs in international markets, expanded opportunities for cooperation with foreign investors, and significantly enhanced Uzbekistan’s standing within the global business community.
In his view, the reforms implemented in recent years have made Uzbekistan an increasingly reliable and promising partner for international business.
A New Model of Global Business Diplomacy
Experts believe that in the 21st century, the effectiveness of economic diplomacy is increasingly dependent on close cooperation between the public and private sectors. From this perspective, business diplomacy is becoming an important instrument not only for attracting investment, but also for enhancing countries’ international standing, opening new export channels, facilitating the exchange of innovation, and developing professional networks.
With this objective in mind, work is underway on the establishment of the World Business Diplomacy Council, an initiative led by Mirshod Shakirov.
The international institution is envisioned as a global platform for developing business diplomacy as an academic, practical, and institutional field, while strengthening cooperation among governments, business communities, academic institutions, and international organizations.
The Council’s primary objective is to develop business diplomacy as a distinct professional field and to establish long-term international cooperation among governments, businesses, and the academic community.
According to Mirshod Shakirov, new opportunities are emerging at the intersection of the United Kingdom’s financial and institutional expertise, Uzbekistan’s consistent economic reforms, and Central Asia’s strategic geographic position.
“In the 21st century, the strongest bridges between countries are not built by governments alone. They are also built by entrepreneurs, investors, universities, research centers, and professional institutions. Business diplomacy is the modern platform that creates these bridges,” he says.
Today, the business diplomacy model promoted by Mirshod Shakirov is attracting growing interest from international experts, entrepreneurs, and the global business community as a modern mechanism that complements traditional state diplomacy.
Experts note that as Uzbekistan’s integration into the global economy deepens, business diplomacy is gaining increasing importance as a strategic field that complements traditional state diplomacy.
In particular, its role is growing in attracting new investment, expanding the geography of exports, bringing advanced technologies into the country, and strengthening Uzbekistan’s position in the global economy by facilitating direct links between the private sector, investors, and international professional communities.
In this context, the developing economic cooperation between Uzbekistan and the United Kingdom is not only taking the strategic partnership between the two countries to a new level, but also represents a practical expression of the principles of global business diplomacy.
This, in turn, can be viewed as an important step toward strengthening Uzbekistan’s standing in the international economic arena, attracting new investment, and positioning the country as an increasingly important hub for global business cooperation.
Shohjahon Majid
Contributing writer at EUReflect.
