Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan Close Market-Access Talks on WTO Accession

Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have agreed to complete bilateral negotiations on market-access conditions within Uzbekistan's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The next step will be signing the relevant protocol once necessary internal procedures are completed.

Chief Uzbek negotiator on WTO matters Azizbek Urunov announced the agreement. He said the talks, launched at Kazakhstan's initiative in February 2026, lasted eight months. Both sides took a constructive approach despite the complexity of the issues and aimed to strengthen bilateral economic ties. Zhanel Kushukova took part in the talks on behalf of Kazakhstan. Urunov also cited the support of Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev and Saida Mirziyoyeva, head of the Presidential Administration.

Urunov said the parties expect to sign the protocol initialled during the talks within the coming weeks, once domestic procedures are complete. He described the deal as a further stage in Uzbekistan's WTO accession, saying the country is approaching the final phase of the process amid ongoing economic reforms under President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.