Led by Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev, a high-level delegation from Uzbekistan participated in a Working Party meeting in Geneva, reaffirming their commitment to conclude the country's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) by the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14). The delegation included Azizbek Urunov, Special Representative of the President on WTO issues and Chief Negotiator for WTO Accession, alongside senior officials like Akhadbek Khaydarov, Alisher Karimov, and Akmaljon Kasimov. Other officials joined virtually from Tashkent.
Deputy Prime Minister Khodjaev emphasized Uzbekistan's progress in advancing its accession process through domestic market reforms. These include removing export-contingent subsidies and exclusive rights for state-owned enterprises in critical sectors, liberalizing price controls, accelerating privatization efforts, and adhering to WTO intellectual property standards.
"We are all aware that the global trading environment is becoming increasingly fragmented," stated Khodjaev. "In this context, Uzbekistan's commitment to the WTO and to building a modern, market-oriented economy rooted in rules-based trade has never been stronger."
Khodjaev presented a roadmap titled "Road to Yaoundé MC14," detailing steps needed to finalize the accession process within a specified timeline.
WTO Deputy Director-General Xiangchen Zhang commended Khodjaev and his team for their dedication to advancing negotiations. He noted significant progress made in both bilateral and multilateral discussions. "It's remarkable to see how the accession process has been transformed, has matured and is now advancing at a rapid pace," said Zhang.
During the meeting, WTO members updated progress on bilateral market access negotiations with Uzbekistan. Many expressed support for Uzbekistan's ambitious goals and acknowledged recent negotiation advancements.
Ambassador Yun Seong-deok of Korea reported on other events held on June 12: an informal meeting on agricultural support, a seminar on economic reforms organized with the World Bank and IMF, and an information session on technical barriers to trade.
In his closing remarks, Ambassador Yun acknowledged steady progress in negotiations towards finalizing Uzbekistan's accession. He urged members to submit questions and draft commitments by July 11 while noting that most bilateral talks were nearing conclusion before summer break.
Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala praised Uzbekistan's economic reforms during an April meeting at IMF/World Bank spring meetings.
Uzbekistan first applied for WTO membership in 1994 but intensified its negotiation efforts starting in 2020.