Uzbekistan to Send Trade Advisors to Iraq and Syria to Boost Exports

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan will deploy trade advisors to Iraq and Syria to expand export opportunities, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced during an extraordinary session of the Samarkand Regional Council on Tuesday.

According to Mirziyoyev, markets in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan have strong demand for electrical goods, textiles, food and pharmaceutical products, automobiles, and construction materials, with a total estimated demand of US$30 billion.

The President noted that industry leaders and regional administrations have so far achieved limited success in promoting Uzbek products to these markets. To strengthen exports, a branch of the Commodity and Raw Materials Exchange will open in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, by the end of the year, offering at least 100 types of Uzbek products.

Starting next year, three trade advisors will begin work in Iraq, and two will be posted in Syria. Mirziyoyev also emphasized the importance of inviting 100 major Iraqi entrepreneurs to Samarkand for a “Uzbekistan–Iraq” business forum to foster commercial ties.