Chamber president welcomes Uzbekistan’s ambassador

Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to the UK took a trip down memory lane when he was welcomed to Birmingham by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce president Nasir Awan.

His Excellency Mr Ravshan Usmanov returned to the city where he’d previously been a student, in a bid to forge business connections between his homeland and the West Midlands region.

Mr Usmanov held talks with Mr Awan regarding possible trade opportunities, with Uzbekistan seeking joint venture partners in areas such as pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, and automotive.

Uzbekistan is also looking to open a trade centre within its London embassy to showcase the central Asian nation’s products. 

Some of its biggest exports include textiles, dried fruit and mung beans.

Mr Usmanov, who studied for bachelor’s degree at University of Birmingham around 25 years ago, also met the Lord Mayor of Birmingham Chaman Lal during his visit.

“We were delighted to receive the Ambassador, who is keen to encourage UK businesses to look at Uzbek products,” said Nasir Awan.

“He is very keen to do business with the UK and particularly Birmingham.

“As well as having interests in a number of sectors that will be relevant to our firms here in Birmingham, Uzbekistan is a country with a rich and interesting cultural history.

“I visited in 2021 and it is a good place for tourists, with its landscape, history and attractions.

“As president of the GBCC, I want to encourage businesses to explore opportunities with countries that have perhaps been ignored in the past.”

Pictured: Nasir Awan with His Excellency Ravshan Usmanov