Uzbekistan has concluded bilateral negotiations with Canada and Panama as part of its ongoing efforts to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), marking another step toward full membership.
Azizbek Urunov, the Presidential Representative for WTO Issues, announced the development on LinkedIn, noting that the agreements were finalized on the sidelines of the 11th Working Party Meeting on Uzbekistan’s WTO accession.
“Uzbekistan successfully concluded the protocols on completion of bilateral market access negotiations with Canada and Panama,” Urunov wrote.
In a comment under his post, Urunov added that Uzbekistan still needs to finalize talks with three remaining WTO members before completing the accession process. He did not disclose which countries are still pending.
At the end of October, Uzbekistan wrapped up negotiations with the European Union, which became the 31st WTO member to complete bilateral discussions with the country. Panama, with which Uzbekistan signed an agreement in mid-October, preceded the EU on that list.
Earlier, in September, Uzbekistan signed bilateral market access protocols with Argentina, Australia, and Honduras, bringing the total number of agreements to 29 at that time. Urunov also mentioned that Uzbekistan had reached “agreements in principle” with two additional WTO members.
Uzbekistan’s WTO Accession Journey
Uzbekistan first applied to join the World Trade Organization in 1998, but progress stalled for many years until talks resumed in 2020. Since then, the country has accelerated negotiations, holding several Working Group meetings and completing bilateral agreements with key partners.
Under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s direction, WTO accession became a national priority in 2023. By mid-2025, Uzbekistan had negotiated with 33 countries and finalized deals with 25, including the UK and Switzerland. Officials aim to conclude all talks by the end of 2025 and secure full membership in 2026.
To meet WTO standards, Uzbekistan has enacted major reforms—updating trade and customs laws, enhancing intellectual property protection, and removing exclusive rights in state-linked enterprises. The government views accession as a vital step toward integrating into global trade and advancing economic modernization.
