Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have agreed to conclude bilateral negotiations on market access conditions as part of Uzbekistan’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The next step will be to sign the relevant protocol after the necessary domestic procedures have been completed.
Uzbekistan’s chief WTO negotiator, Azizbek Urunov, announced the agreement. He said the negotiations, initiated by Kazakhstan in February 2026, had continued for eight months.
Despite the complexity of the issues under discussion, both sides maintained a constructive approach and sought to strengthen bilateral economic ties. Urunov thanked the Kazakh side for its consistent work and Uzbekistan’s negotiating team for its professionalism and persistence. Zhanel Kushukova represented Kazakhstan in the negotiations.
Urunov also highlighted the support provided by Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev and Presidential Administration head Saida Mirziyoyeva in reaching the agreement.
According to Urunov, the two sides expect to sign the protocol, which was initialled during the negotiations, in the coming weeks, once the required domestic procedures have been completed.
The agreement marks another step in Uzbekistan’s WTO accession process. Urunov said the country was approaching the final stage of negotiations amid ongoing economic reforms led by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
