AKIPRESS.COM - The U.S. Agency for International Development and the World Bank Group, in consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Trade, is conducting a workshop in Tashkent this week on “The Resumption of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Accession Process of Uzbekistan” to help educate government officials and stakeholders about the WTO process and its potential implications for Uzbekistan, the U.S. Embassy reported.

Uzbekistan is considering resuming its efforts to join the WTO, the intergovernmental body responsible for multilateral efforts to facilitate the smooth flow of trade across borders, after an approximately 15-year hiatus. A clear understanding of the process will be essential for Uzbekistan as it restarts the accession process.

Visiting international experts with extensive experience in WTO and trade-related issues will go over the complex accession process and share their experiences with Afghanistan, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan as they sought WTO accession.

Speaking at the workshop, USAID Country Director, Gary Robbins noted, “WTO membership can send an important signal to the world that Uzbekistan is a member of the international trading community and that the country is, in fact, open for business.’ Uzbekistan’s accession to this body will increase two-way trade between Uzbekistan and other WTO members, including the United States.”

The workshop supports the implementation of a WTO accession roadmap led by an Inter-Agency Council, chaired by the Ministry of Foreign Trade. The Ministry of Economy has been tasked to coordinate WTO accession with different government agencies responsible for issues such as agriculture, standards, intellectual property, customs and trade in services.