President Shavkat Mirziyoyev participated in the 30th meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council on May 25 via videoconference. Uzbekistan has been an observer in the union since 2020. The union consists of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia.
The President said that Uzbekistan is working with the EAEU member states to create a favorable environment for finding new sources of growth and expanding trade relations within the union. Trade turnover between Uzbekistan and the EAEU countries grew by 23% in 2022.
Uzbekistan is involved in individual programmes and sectoral projects in trade facilitation, as well as in transport, agriculture, ecology and tourism.
“The intensification of global challenges, serious gaps in transport and logistics chains, growing risks to food and energy security and other problems necessitate closer coordination to address the priorities of sustainable socio-economic development of our countries,” Uzbekistan’s President stressed.
He urged to continue working on easing trade procedures and creating conditions for a significant increase in trade turnover among the EAEU countries. He said that an agreement on eliminating technical barriers and mutual recognition of certificates would help in this regard.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev stressed the importance of linking electronic platforms and online systems for customs administration, sanitary, phytosanitary and veterinary inspection, as well as certification of goods' origin.
“We consider it important to take joint measures to deepen industrial cooperation and localisation as an important factor in creating new jobs and forming industrial hubs in the Eurasian space,” he said.
The President of Uzbekistan emphasized the importance of increasing efforts on alternative transport corridors and creating reliable logistical chains. He supported the development of international North-South routes and other routes linking the region with China, the Middle East and South Asia.
The head of state called for close coordination in tariff policy issues and invited to join the Project Office for the implementation of the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railway project.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev suggested to boost the domestic production of agricultural goods and food products, to ensure the smooth operation of “green” corridors, to support joint research and innovation, and to foster the cooperative ties of agribusiness representatives of the EAEU countries in the field of food security.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev also highlighted the potential for cooperation in education, such as training specialists, partnering between universities and vocational education centres and supporting scientific research.
