Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 9 June 2020, a working group of the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan, led by Deputy Minister B. Abidov, took part in a video conferencing format in a meeting of the Informal group of countries joining the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The event was attended by 35 representatives from 17 countries joining the WTO, including from Belarus, Serbia, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, East Timor and others.

Opening the meeting, WTO Deputy Director General A. Wolfe said that the accession of new states to the WTO strengthens the multilateral trading system. Joining the Organization gives countries the opportunity to enjoy the privileges indicated and guaranteed by multilateral agreements.

He said that in view of the circumstances surrounding the spread of the pandemic, many WTO meetings began to be successfully held in the form of video conferencing, including informal meetings of heads of delegations, the General Council, and various committees, which allows the organization to operate normally. Moreover, the participants were informed that a phased resumption of official events of the WTO working bodies, including meetings of working groups on the accession of new states to the Organization, is planned from 15 June.

The participants of the event were also informed that on June 8 this year, the process of submitting candidates for the post of the next head of the WTO has begun.

Earlier than 14 May 2020, the current WTO Director General R. Azevedo announced his decision to resign from the post of head of the Organization on 31 August 2020 before the expiration of the term of office in 2021.

It confirmed that Uzbekistan sent to the Secretariat and WTO member countries a full package of documents required for the 4th meeting of the Working Group on Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO. A. Wolfe also assured the Uzbek side of the readiness of the WTO Secretariat to proceed with the consideration of this issue in an accelerated manner.

Also, as part of the event, representatives of a number of states made an overview of the current status of the process of joining the Organization, in particular, along with Uzbekistan, countries such as Belarus, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, Comoros and East Timor are in an active phase of entry and awaiting decisions on meetings of the relevant working groups, Somalia and Curacao are in the initial stages of the accession process.