WTO Deputy Directors-General: Uzbekistan will need about two years to join the WTO

Uzbekistan may join the World Trade Organization (WTO) within two years. This was stated by the Deputy Directors-General of the organization, Alan Wolff, Uzreport said.

“The process of accession to the WTO has just begun. It requires internal reforms, opening up the economy - all this is already happening. The country's leadership is interested in joining the WTO. Negotiations will be held with Uzbekistan’s trading partners, they will facilitate the process. All this will take a year or two, which is very fast. But, this is only the beginning. Accession to the WTO is very beneficial for Uzbekistan and for other countries of the Central Asian region. Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are already members of the organization. Now the republic is in the 5th place in terms of cotton exports and production is developing in the country. Opening up of foreign markets and internal reforms will make it possible to accelerate the growth rates of these sectors,” Alan Wolff noted.

Earlier it was reported that the WTO secretariat would also provide the necessary technical assistance to Uzbekistan in training of personnel involved in the process of the country's accession to the organization.

In addition, in Tashkent and Geneva, together with foreign partners, a series of events will be held aimed at improving the skills and applying international best practices in the field of domestic and foreign trade. Representatives of Uzbekistan will be invited to thematic events, including conferences, round tables, trainings and seminars organized by the WTO.

In November 2017, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said that Uzbekistan is restoring work on joining the WTO. To date, 164 states are members of the organization. Uzbekistan acts as an observer state.