Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  At the ICAO ICAN-2024 event in Kuala Lumpur, a delegation from Uzbekistan held negotiations with Kuwait, resulting in the signing of a new Air Transport Agreement.

Previously, air traffic between Uzbekistan and Kuwait was regulated by a 1994 agreement, which restricted flights to one airline from each side. The new agreement removes this limitation, paving the way for full and unrestricted air transportation between the two countries.

Following discussions led by the director of the “Uzaviatsia” Agency with the Kuwaiti aviation government officials regarding air traffic between the two countries, a new draft Air Transport Agreement was initialed by the heads of the aviation authorities of both nations. This updated agreement, developed by the transport ministries of Uzbekistan and Kuwait, includes new terms and conditions.

The new agreement allows for multiple airlines from both sides to operate flights between the two countries, lifting the previous restriction that only one designated airline could operate routes.

In 2023, over 95,000 passengers from Uzbekistan undertook Umrah pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia via Kuwait, with many also engaging in short-term tourism in Kuwait. Approximately 1,000 tourists visited Uzbekistan from Kuwait, most of whom traveled to Osh (Kyrgyzstan) for various purposes after their short stay.

After conducting an analysis, the agreement aims to create extensive opportunities for direct flights for Kuwaiti citizens to Uzbekistan’s cities. This includes 12 weekly flights between Kuwait and Osh, with plans to increase weekly flights to 14 from each side (totaling 28). The agreement also removes limits on the number of cities, allowing flights from all airports in Uzbekistan to Kuwait.

These agreements will serve as a foundation for increasing passenger traffic on new international routes from Uzbekistan’s regional airports and attracting more tourists, particularly in the context of pilgrimage tourism, as directed by the President of Uzbekistan’s Tourism Committee.