Participants acknowledged the progress made by Uzbekistan towards joining the WTO and highlighted the potential benefits of membership, such as the development of foreign trade, enhancement of the business environment, attraction of additional investments, and stimulation of economic growth.
Uzbekistan has already engaged in negotiations with several WTO member countries and aims to join the organization by 2026. As part of extensive reforms, the country is taking steps to liberalize its economy and align its legislation with WTO requirements.
The roundtable discussed the existing challenges and opportunities related to Uzbekistan's accession process to the WTO.
Participants analyzed how membership in the organization could impact the country's future involvement in global trade.
It was noted that despite the substantial amount of work ahead, Uzbekistan's commitment to the goal of joining the WTO, along with broad international support, including technical assistance from the World Bank, makes this objective achievable.