Uzbekistan has successfully concluded bilateral negotiations with Saudi Arabia. This marks the second country to finalize an agreement on Uzbekistan’s WTO membership.
The protocol, which signifies the completion of bilateral negotiations on market entry for goods and services, was signed at the WTO headquarters in Geneva. The signatories included Aziz Orunov, the special representative of the President of Uzbekistan on WTO issues, and Saqer Almoqbel, the ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the WTO. Jamshid Khojaev, Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan and Chairman of the Interdepartmental Commission on Working with the WTO, was also present at the ceremony.
The Uzbek delegation, led by Khojaev, will participate in the 7th meeting of the working group on Uzbekistan’s WTO membership. A meeting with WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is also scheduled.
Uzbekistan’s journey towards WTO membership began in 1994, but progress stalled after the 3rd meeting of the working group in 2005. It was only in 2020 that the 4th meeting was held. Despite the recent advancements, observers suggest that Uzbekistan may not secure membership before 2025 due to the extensive requirements, which include harmonizing national legislation with WTO agreements and rules and reaching trade agreements with member states.
Earlier in April 2023, Uzbekistan completed negotiations with Georgia, marking the first successful conclusion of such talks. Discussions with Mongolia and Turkey were also reported to be in the final stages, but it remains unclear whether official protocols have been signed with these nations.
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