TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, December 2. Uzbekistan completed bilateral negotiations on accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) with the Philippines, Special Representative of the President of Uzbekistan on WTO Issues Azizbek Urunov wrote on his LinkedIn page, TurkicWorld reports.
"Despite it being Sunday, we had a signing ceremony on the conclusion of bilateral negotiations with the Philippines in Geneva at the Philippines mission," he said.
He noted that the Philippines is one of four countries with which Uzbekistan finished negotiations past two months, making the total number of conclusions twenty-two, including the other three: El Salvador, the US and China.
The working group for Uzbekistan's entrance to the WTO was formed in 1994. The procedure was officially reinstated after the fourth meeting of the working group in July 2020. Four additional meetings of the working group occurred between 2022 and 2024.
Uzbekistan is gearing up to throw its hat in the ring for WTO membership before the 14th ministerial conference rolls around in Cameroon in 2026, according to Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev, who is at the helm of the country's delegation at the eighth meeting of the working group on Uzbekistan's bid to join the WTO.
The WTO was established on 1 January 1995; however, its trading system dates back fifty years. The WTO comprises 166 members, representing 98 percent of global trade. All members have entered the system by agreement; hence, membership entails a balance of rights and responsibilities. More than 20 nations are in negotiations to join the group. All WTO members are required to undergo regular evaluations of their trade policies and procedures, with each assessment including reports from the respective country and the WTO Secretariat.
