President of Uzbekistan attends EAEU Summit
On May 29, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Astana as the head of an observer state.
The meeting, chaired by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, was also attended by the President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, the President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov, the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Mher Grigoryan, and, as observers, the Vice President of the Republic of Cuba Salvador Valdés Mesa, the Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mohammad Atabak, as well as the Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission Bakytzhan Sagintayev. CIS Secretary General Sergey Lebedev attended as a guest.
The agenda included issues related to expanding multilateral trade and economic cooperation, supporting industrial cooperation projects, and implementing joint programs in priority areas.
Opening his remarks, the President of Uzbekistan noted that the consistent expansion and deepening of mutually beneficial cooperation with the EAEU countries remain among the key areas of Uzbekistan’s foreign economic policy.
It was emphasized that interaction with the Union’s member states has taken on the character of a comprehensive economic partnership.
Mutual trade volumes are growing steadily, industrial cooperation is expanding, logistics ties are strengthening, and new areas of cooperation are emerging in the digital economy, energy, and services.
It was noted that, together with the Eurasian Economic Commission, the implementation of the three-year Action Plan is nearing completion this year. In this regard, it was proposed to adopt a new plan at the next Working Group meeting, jointly with the Eurasian Economic Commission, scheduled for this autumn in Tashkent.
A roadmap has recently been approved to bring Uzbekistan’s technical regulation systems and those of the EAEU closer together.
Uzbekistan also actively participates in the Union’s key initiatives, including the development of e-commerce, the digitalization of freight transportation, and the climate agenda.
The Eurasian Development Bank’s country office has opened in Tashkent. Together with the Bank, a portfolio of new industrial cooperation projects has been established.
The President of Uzbekistan outlined his vision of the priority areas for developing a partnership with the Union.
Special attention was given to creating a single digital space for barrier-free trade between Uzbekistan and the states of the Association.
In this context, the importance of coordinating approaches to regulating e-commerce and digital data exchange in the areas of customs, phytosanitary and veterinary control, and the certification of the origin of goods, as well as the gradual recognition of electronic documents, was emphasized.
In addition, it was proposed to begin creating smart transport and customs corridors by introducing digital transit, connecting to traceability systems, and modernizing border crossing points.
It was noted that the sixth INNOPROM Central Asia International Industrial Exhibition, held in Tashkent this April, confirmed the growing interest among business circles in localizing production, forming technological partnerships, and establishing new production chains.
It was proposed to leverage this platform’s potential to develop a cooperation program between Uzbekistan and the EAEU countries. Promising areas include industrial automation and robotics, component production for the energy sector, water-saving technologies, modern construction materials, and other industries.
The President of Uzbekistan expressed readiness to establish a joint Project Office for Cooperation in Uzbekistan, which, in a “one-stop shop” format and together with the Eurasian Economic Commission, will be engaged in selecting partners, supporting new initiatives based in the country’s free industrial zones, and facilitating financing.
“We are ready to negotiate additional incentives for high-tech residents from the EAEU countries”, the President of Uzbekistan emphasized.
An initiative was also proposed to adopt a joint Program for the Green Transformation of Industry to improve energy efficiency, introduce clean technologies, and reduce the carbon intensity of products.
The practical content of the program may include creating a portfolio of joint green projects, developing new financing instruments, and modernizing priority industrial sectors through the use of artificial intelligence technologies.
“For our countries, this is no longer only an environmental issue but also an important factor in the long-term competitiveness of industry”, the President of Uzbekistan noted.
Special attention was paid to issues of organized labor mobility. The need was emphasized to elevate cooperation in this area to a qualitatively new level through the integration of national electronic employment services.
This concerns the creation of a convenient and seamless digital environment that provides citizens with direct access to verified job vacancies, information on employment conditions, and migration legislation.
“This will make it possible to simultaneously address the needs of our countries’ labor markets, improve workers’ qualifications, strengthen the protection of citizens’ rights, and reduce the risks of illegal employment”, Shavkat Mirziyoyev summarized.
In the tourism sector, Uzbekistan has proposed the Central Asian Tourist Ring initiative.
In this context, the President of Uzbekistan invited the EAEU countries to join in the joint promotion of this tourist route on popular digital platforms.
In conclusion, the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan emphasized that the country’s participation in the EAEU’s multilateral programs and projects will contribute to strengthening the mutually beneficial partnership and to ensuring the sustainable development of our countries.
UzA
