Uzbekistan to Speed up WTO Accession Talks

Uzbekistan is planning to expedite negotiations for its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), as stated by Deputy Prime Minister Zhamshid Khodjaev in a press release from the organisation.

Khodjaev emphasised the goal of making Uzbekistan a full member of the WTO by 2026 and a model of successful integration into the multilateral trading system. During a working group meeting, he made these comments on Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO.

He also highlighted that Uzbekistan is prepared to continue its reforms while steadfastly pursuing WTO membership. By 2025, Tashkent aims to intensify its efforts to finalise negotiations and align its legal frameworks with WTO requirements.

As of December 2024, Uzbekistan has completed negotiations for WTO accession with over 22 countries, including China and the United States.

Earlier this year, in May, Zhamshid Khodjaev reaffirmed Tashkent’s intention to join the trade bloc by 2026.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that the European Union will support Uzbekistan’s bid to join the WTO.