Uzbekistan seals key trade deal with Russia ahead of WTO accession

Uzbekistan and Russia have officially agreed on the terms of mutual trade, signing a final protocol on market access for goods and services, marking one of the last steps before Uzbekistan joins the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The protocol was signed on December 21 during President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s working visit to St. Petersburg, Caliber.Az reports via Uzbek media.

Russia was represented by Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov, while the Representative of the President of Uzbekistan on WTO, Azizbek Urunov, represented Uzbekistan. The negotiation process was described by Urunov as substantive and constructive.

“We signed the protocol with Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov, concluding our bilateral negotiations on market access within the framework of Uzbekistan’s WTO accession. The talks were long but substantive and constructive, culminating in today’s positive outcome,” Urunov noted.

Last week, a representative of the Uzbek president reported signing similar agreements with the European Union and Ecuador.

By Jeyhun Aghazada