The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic, hereinafter referred to individually as a “Participant” and collectively as “the Participants”,

in view of establishing Strategic Partnership Relationships between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Italian Republic;

with the aim of further developing political dialogue and consultations on the important issues of bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation;

considering that the enhancement of regular contacts between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two States would contribute to implement current projects and initiatives, as well as identify priority areas of bilateral cooperation in all areas;

have entered into the following Program of cooperation:

1. The Participants will aim at conducting the first round of the Strategic Dialogue, established in the framework of the Joint Declaration on Establishing Strategic Partnership Relationships between the Italian Republic and the Republic of Uzbekistan adopted in Rome on the 8th of June, 2023.

2. To prepare this consultation, the Participants may deem it useful, upon mutual consent, to organize some of the following activities:

political consultations between the Vice Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the two States;

cooperation between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two States;

consultations between the Legal Services of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two States;

consultations between the Departments for Cultural and Humanitarian;

consultations between the Consular Departments of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two States;

Consultations between the Information and Analysis Departments of the Foreign Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two States.

1. The Participants will strengthen dialogue and interaction in the framework of the format “Italy — Central Asia”.

2. The Participants will strengthen dialogue and collaboration in the context of relations between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the European Union. In order to implement such activities, they will cooperate in order to prepare the negotiations of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Uzbekistan and the European Union.

3. Italy supports Uzbekistanʼs commitment to continue complying with the requirements of GSP+ preferential system and fully utilize its opportunities.

4. The Participants will aim at supporting each otherʼs initiatives in the framework of the UN, OSCE, UNESCO, FAO, IFAD, WFP and other international organizations, in view of their national interests.

1. The Participants will conduct the sessions of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) on Trade, Economic and Industrial Cooperation and Export Credits, in Uzbekistan and Italy, on rotation basis. With this aim, and taking into account that the previous session of the IWG was conducted in May 2019 in Rome, the Participants will organize the next session of the IWG in Uzbekistan.

2. The Participants will support raising of awareness of the economic institutions and business circles in Uzbekistan and Italy about the opportunities for closer and wider cooperation on the mutually beneficial basis. In order to implement this form of cooperation, the Participants will support the conduct of business forums, presentations, seminars and round tables, exchange of information about projects and initiatives, as well as exchange of visits of business delegations.

1. The Participants will encourage closer exchanges and partnership between Uzbekistan and Italy in the areas of culture, language, education, science and tourism. To this regard, they will facilitate development of contacts between relevant government organizations, as well as the specialized institutions, including the Arts and Culture Development Foundation under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan and the Institute of the Italian Culture.

2. The Participants will facilitate establishing contacts and cooperation between the University of World Economy and Diplomacy under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Training Unit of the Directorate General for Resources and Innovation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic. The two institutions will exchange delegations to discuss prospects for partnership in the field of professional development of diplomatic personnel of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two Countries according to the advanced world standards.

3. The Participants will support the exchange of tourists and business people in order to advance “peopleʼs diplomacy”, better knowledge of each other and exploration of new possibilities for cooperation.

4. The Participants will, upon mutual consent, conduct consultations and working meetings on other issues of mutual interest regarding bilateral and international cooperation. The time and place of consultations will be defined by mutual consent of the Participants.

The Participants will ensure the confidentiality of all the consultations described in this Program, including the documents, information and personal data exchanged, which will not be transferred to third parties or otherwise processed in a manner that is incompatible with the defined purposes without the prior written consent of the Participant from which such information was received.

1. The present Program of cooperation will be implemented in accordance with the Uzbek and Italian legislations, as well as applicable international law and, as for the Italian Participant, the obligations arising from Italyʼs membership of the European Union.

2. This Program of cooperation does not constitute an international agreement which may lead to rights and obligations under international law. No provision of this Program of cooperation is to be understood and performed as a legal obligation or commitment of the Participants.

3. The expenses arising from the implementation of this Program of cooperation will be covered by the Participants according to their ordinary budget availability without any additional cost for the State budgets of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Italian Republic.

1. The present Program of cooperation takes effect on the date of signature. It will remain valid for two (2) years and will be automatically renewed for further periods of two (2) years, unless one of the Participants notifies the other of its intention to terminate six months prior to the renewal.

2. The Participants may amend this Program of cooperation in writing by mutual consent.

3. Any difference in the interpretation and/or implementation of this Program of cooperation will be settled amicably through direct consultations and negotiations between the Participants.

Signed in Rome on June 8, 2023 in two originals in the English language, both texts being equally authentic.