Uzbekistan has finalized bilateral negotiations with the United Kingdom as part of its bid to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), marking a milestone in the country’s WTO accession process. The announcement was made by Azizbek Urunov, the Special Representative of the President of Uzbekistan on WTO issues.
The talks concluded during a visit by the Uzbek delegation to London in late May 2025.
“Now I would like to announce about their completion, and since then we have gone through internal procedures to sign the Protocol on the margins of the 10th Working Party meeting in Geneva on June 12, 2025.”
With this development, the United Kingdom becomes the 24th country with which Uzbekistan has successfully concluded bilateral market access negotiations.
Push for WTO Membership
Uzbekistan’s WTO accession efforts date back to 1998 when its Working Group was first established. However, the process stalled for many years, with limited progress between 2005 and 2020. A renewed effort began with the fourth meeting of the Working Group in July 2020, followed by additional meetings in June 2022, March 2023, and November 2023.
Uzbekistan’s commitment to the process was further highlighted during President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s meeting with WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala at the 78th UN General Assembly in September 2023. The Director-General commended the country’s reforms and expressed strong support for its accession.
In line with WTO standards, Uzbekistan has harmonized five national laws with WTO agreements as of February 2024.
Benefits of WTO Membership
In an interview with Daryo, Azizbek Urunov outlined the expected benefits of WTO accession for Uzbekistan.
“The first benefit is the creation of equal conditions for enterprises, which will foster a competitive environment. This is crucial for economic development,” he said.
He added that WTO membership will attract higher-quality foreign investment and align Uzbekistan’s trade practices with global standards.
“It will help the country integrate into global production chains and open both domestic and foreign markets to local entrepreneurs,” Urunov noted.
Saida Mirziyoyeva also highlighted that Uzbekistan's WTO membership aims to improve citizens' well-being, generate quality employment, and enhance economic management.
Uzbekistan aims to complete its WTO accession by 2026. President Mirziyoyev has described the country's WTO bid as a strategic and forward-looking decision, aligned with broader economic reforms.
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