UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean and the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the World Trade Organization (WTO) issues and Chief Negotiator, Azizbek Urunov, today signed the National Trade Facilitation Roadmap of Uzbekistan, which will serve as a strategic framework guiding the country's trade facilitation reforms over the next five years and supporting its accession to the WTO envisaged for 2026.   

The Roadmap was developed using the UNECE methodology and is aligned with the overall strategy of the United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA), in particular the SPECA Trade Facilitation Strategy and the SPECA Principles for Sustainable Trade.  

It is part of a larger effort to support Uzbekistan to integrate into and benefit from the global economy: from fostering innovation and enhancing agricultural trade through the reduction of regulatory and procedural barriers to supporting effective public-private partnerships for enhanced and resilient infrastructure, noted the UNECE Executive Secretary.  

As a Landlocked Developing Country without direct sea access, Uzbekistan faces hurdles in trade, connectivity, and development, and needs to rely on transit nations, causing higher trade costs and delays. In this respect, UNECE legal instruments and standards, notably the UN/CEFACT package of standards, can facilitate digitalization and improve connectivity along transit corridors.  

Uzbekistan aims to establish itself as a pivotal gateway for international trade in Central Asia, fostering a dynamic, efficient, and inclusive trade ecosystem. At 85% Uzbekistan has reached the highest trade facilitation performance in Central Asia. The country is also working to advance digitalization and sustainability dimensions of trade facilitation, with targeted measures in support of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and women-led businesses.   

In the Roadmap, Uzbekistan states its vision to accelerate these dimensions to enhance exports and gain better access to high-value markets with three main objectives:   

• To transform its trade facilitation services and achieve full implementation of the trade facilitation measures as stipulated in the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement;  

• To fully adopt digital documents and data exchange for the export and import of essential goods;  

• To rank Uzbekistan among the top 50 countries in the World Bank Logistics Performance Index.  

The Roadmap elaborates on specific actions to achieve such goals, specifically the improvement of the institutional, legal and policy framework; streamlining of trade procedures; leveraging of technology for digitalization of trade procedures; the promotion of sustainable and inclusive trade; and capacity building.