Uzbekistan Close to Joining WTO as Accession Process Moves Toward Final Stage

World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has confirmed that Uzbekistan is approaching the final stage of joining the organisation. Speaking to the Uzbekistan 24 television channel, she announced that a meeting of the working group will be held in November, with the accession process expected to conclude by March next year.

«Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO is driven by the President’s strong political commitment to market-oriented reforms. Thank you Mr President. We are making great progress, let’s keep working hard together so we can deliver for Uzbekistan,» Okonjo-Iweala posted on X.

Last spring, Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjayev stated that Tashkent had aimed to finalise membership in 2026.

Accession is expected to stimulate foreign investment and create momentum for the development of new industrial sectors, strengthening the country’s integration into the global economy.

Kursiv also reports that Uzbekistan has now finalised negotiations with 29 countries, has provisional agreements with two WTO members and needs to complete talks with only three states to finalise the accession process.