As part of the process of Uzbekistan's accession to the World Trade Organization, the Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) held a coordination meeting with donor States and relevant international organizations.

The purpose was to discuss the current implementation status of technical assistance projects in the process of the country’s accession to the WTO and further increase the effectiveness of the work carried out.

The meeting was attended by more than 50 representatives of the WTO Secretariat, UNDP, UNCTAD/WTO International Trade Center, USAID, Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP), German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), as well as heads and employees of diplomatic missions of foreign countries in Uzbekistan.

The Uzbek side presented to the participants the current state and prospects of Uzbekistan's accession to the Organization, including the main results of the successful 5th meeting of the WTO Working Group in June 2020. Detailed information was also provided on the ongoing work with the WTO Secretariat to prepare the necessary documents and promote the negotiation process as a whole.

In her speech, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program in the Republic of Uzbekistan Matilda Dimovska highly appreciated the work carried out by Uzbekistan in the framework of accession to the WTO. These aspirations of the country, according to the UNDP Resident Representative, stimulate the implementation of sustainable development goals and deepen trade liberalization reforms aimed at economic growth and ensuring the well-being of the citizens.

Francois Bejo, Head of the Cooperation Department of the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan, noted that the meeting was an excellent opportunity to exchange views, discuss proposals for further improving the effectiveness of assistance to Uzbekistan in accession to the WTO. The expert expressed the full support of the European Union in this process.

Maika Oshikawa, Director, Accessions Division, WTO Secretariat, mentioned the impressive active and systematic work that the Uzbek side managed to carry out during the preparation and holding of the 5th meeting of the Working Group on Uzbekistan's Accession to the WTO, as well as tasks to further advance the process of the country’s accession to the Organization in the very near future as well as the approval of an unprecedented package of expected reforms in the country.

During the main part of the event, representatives of international organizations and donor countries, including the WTO Secretariat, UNDP, ITC, KIEP, GIZ, informed about the work done and further plans for the implementation of technical assistance projects. The experts highly appreciated the results of the effectiveness of the 5th meeting of the Working Group on the Accession of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the World Trade Organization.

Following the results of the event, an agreement was reached on effective coordination of technical assistance areas taking into account the current priorities and tasks of Uzbekistan, which will focus the further work of donors to provide support within the framework of the country’s accession to the WTO.