Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 6 November 2020, a plenary meeting of the SCO Business Forum and a meeting of the Board of the SCO Business Council in the format of videoconferencing were held at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The meeting was attended by Chairman of the SCO Business Council, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation S. Katyrin, SCO Secretary General V. Norov, Chairman of the national part of the SCO Business Council from the Republic of Uzbekistan Chairman of the Uzbek Chamber of Commerce and Industry A. Ikramov, as well as other representatives of the national part of the Business of the SCO Council.

The Chairman of the SCO Business Council, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation Sergey Katyrin delivered a welcoming speech. In his speech, he noted the importance of the work done by the SCO DC.

According to Sergey Katyrin, one should focus, first of all, on the sectoral principle, which will make it possible to more effectively develop trade, economic and investment relations and increase overall performance.

One of the factors ensuring the development of business cooperation is the more active involvement of young entrepreneurs in the work.

The SCO Secretary General Vladimir Norov also spoke, where he expressed gratitude to each of the participants, as well as the need to further expand interregional cooperation of the SCO member states.

Then the representatives of the national part of the SCO Business Council made a speech.

In his speech, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan A. Ikramov noted that there was a need to hold an international forum on digitalization of the economy of the SCO countries with the participation of leading IT companies, financial and venture organizations, as well as small businesses to discuss prospects and problems in the field of digitalization of economic sectors. ...

The meeting also discussed issues of digitalization of the economy, which requires, first of all, from the Chambers of Commerce and Industry to create conditions to improve the knowledge and skills of small businesses in understanding the basics of using digital technologies and their implementation in business processes.

Participants noted that e-commerce has contributed to the creation of new jobs remotely, involving women, youth, and vulnerable groups.

They also noted the importance of establishing multilateral relations between the business circles of the participating countries. For this, this Organization is an important platform for promoting trade and economic, scientific and technological, transport, investment, cultural and humanitarian cooperation in the region.

Further, the participants exchange information with the national parts of the SCO BC on economic development, support for small and private entrepreneurship, investment opportunities, as well as other information regarding economic development.

The Business Council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO DC) was established on 14 June 2006 in the city of Shanghai (China) by the national parts of the council from the Republic of Kazakhstan, the People's Republic of China, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Today, 5,134 enterprises with the participation of the capital of the SCO member states operate on the territory of Uzbekistan, of which 3,587 are joint ventures and 1,547 enterprises with 100% foreign capital.

For 2019 the trade turnover between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the SCO member states amounted to US$19.2 billion (including exports - US$7.3 billion; imports – US$11.9 billion).