Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Photo: Press service of the President of Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan’s foreign trade turnover with member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU)—Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia—increased by 80 percent in recent years and reached $18 billion in 2024. The announcement was made by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council meeting held on June 27 in Minsk, according to his press service.
Uzbekistan, which holds observer status in the EAEU, has also deepened cooperation across several areas. In March, the fourth meeting of the Joint Working Group was held, leading to agreements on reducing technical barriers, enhancing industrial cooperation, and encouraging business initiatives.
Uzbekistan actively participates in EAEU programs, including the «Eurasian Agroexpress» initiative, the development of e-commerce, and the digitalization of freight transport.
Mirziyoyev highlighted that in April, Uzbekistan completed the process of joining the Agreement on the Establishment of the Eurasian Development Bank. The country is now working with the bank on a prospective portfolio of infrastructure modernization projects, as well as initiatives in metallurgy, textiles, and the chemical industry.
The president also thanked EAEU partners for their engagement in major events hosted by Uzbekistan this year, such as the “Innoprom. Central Asia” industrial exhibition and the fourth Tashkent Investment Forum.
Looking ahead, Mirziyoyev laid out priorities for further cooperation with the union. He stressed the need to boost trade turnover by simplifying procedures and aligning technical regulations. Uzbekistan, he added, is fulfilling all commitments related to the free trade area agreements among member states.
The president called for a joint program on digitalization, covering areas such as e-commerce, product labeling, next-generation logistics platforms, and the application of artificial intelligence in targeted industries.
Uzbekistan also expressed interest in joining the EAEU’s unified border checkpoint information system and in expanding cooperation on SME support programs. The country is seeking to access financing mechanisms for large-scale projects and the Eurasian Network for Industrial Cooperation and Technology Transfer.
On labor mobility, Mirziyoyev proposed consultations to harmonize professional standards and qualification requirements. He also confirmed Uzbekistan’s readiness to join the EAEU’s “Work Without Borders” platform.
The EAEU summit, held in Minsk on June 26–27, was attended by the presidents of Belarus (Alexander Lukashenko), Kazakhstan (Kassym-Jomart Tokayev), Kyrgyzstan (Sadyr Japarov), and Russia (Vladimir Putin), as well as observers President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, Miguel Díaz-Canel of Cuba, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (via video message). Additional guests included Sheikh Khalid Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi; Nam-Ochir Uchral, First Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia; and Sergey Lebedev, Secretary General of the CIS.
