For the first time in the Commonwealth of Independent States history, a Forum of CIS Regions was organized in Tashkent on the initiative of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The delegations from different countries and representatives of the CIS Executive Committee attended the event.

Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Jamshid Khodjayev noted the importance of trust-based cooperation between the regions for the development of the economies of the states.

Over the past five years, Uzbekistan’s trade turnover with the CIS countries has almost doubled and exceeded $23 billion in 2024. More than 5,5 thousand enterprises with the participation of foreign capital are effectively operating in the regions. Major joint investment and infrastructure projects are being implemented in the regions, cities, and districts of the member states. More than 130 special economic zones are functioning, and cross-border trade zones are being created to develop inter-regional trade.

The member states have signed about 6,000 bilateral documents of interregional importance.

It was emphasized that Uzbekistan will continue to implement deep economic reforms, create a favorable environment for investment and business, create high added value in the industrial sector, and expand foreign economic relations.

Taking into account the global situation in the world trade system, CIS Secretary General Sergey Lebedev put forward several initiatives to develop cooperation, make full use of the opportunities of the Free Trade Agreement, eliminate existing barriers, digitalize trade processes and cargo transportation, cooperate, and actively involve regions in projects aimed at import substitution.

The participants outlined clear, promising areas for expanding the scope of bilateral and multilateral partnership.

Following the event, more than 10 documents – roadmaps were signed, aimed at strengthening friendly relations within the CIS, as well as trade-economic, scientific-technical, and cultural-humanitarian cooperation between the regions of the participating countries.

Bekhruz Khudoyberdiyev, UzA