Central Asian Countries Aim for $20 Bn in Interregional Trade

Central Asian countries are targeting $20 bn in interregional trade and plan to develop manufacturing under a unified «Made in Central Asia» brand, according to the Ministry of Investments, Industry and Trade.

The initiative was discussed in Tashkent during the first meeting of the Council of Trade Ministers from Central Asian nations and Azerbaijan. The goal is to strengthen trade and cooperation across multiple sectors of the economy. Participants also highlighted the growth of trade between Uzbekistan and neighbouring Central Asian states, which has more than doubled since 2017, rising from $3.2 bn to $6.9 bn in 2024.

Trade with Kazakhstan is approaching $4 bn, with Kyrgyzstan around $700 mln, Tajikistan over $570 mln, and Turkmenistan more than doubling to $1.15 bn over the past five years. Trade with Azerbaijan has also increased significantly, rising 13% since the start of the year.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the ministers signed a communiqué confirming agreements to deepen economic cooperation and expand regional industrial collaboration.

Kursiv also reports that according to the World Bank, Uzbekistan continues to rank among the fastest-growing economies in the region.