Expanding cooperation with the nations of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) remains a cornerstone of Uzbekistan’s foreign economic policy, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced on Friday during a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Astana.
Uzbekistan has held observer status in the EAEU since December 2020. Today, the nation's engagement with the union's member states has evolved into a "comprehensive economic partnership," the зresident noted.
The head of state outlined the current strategic priorities for advancing Uzbekistan's cooperation with the EAEU:
- Digital Integration and Barrier-Free Trade: Shavkat Mirziyoyev called for the creation of a unified digital space to facilitate barrier-free trade between Uzbekistan and EAEU member states."This entails developing and aligning regulatory approaches to e-commerce, establishing digital data exchange for customs, phytosanitary, and veterinary controls, certifying product origins, and implementing the phased mutual recognition of electronic documents," the President explained.He added that it is equally crucial to begin developing "smart" transport and customs corridors by deploying digital transit systems, integrating with traceability networks, and modernizing border checkpoints.
- Revitalizing Industrial Cooperation: Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized the need to inject fresh momentum into industrial partnerships."We see a growing appetite among businesses for localizing production, forming technological partnerships, and building entirely new supply chains," he stated.
He proposed leveraging the potential of the "INNOPROM. Central Asia" exhibition held in Tashkent to draft a joint cooperation program among the union's member states. He highlighted several promising sectors, including industrial automation and robotics, energy component manufacturing, water-saving technologies, and modern construction materials.
To facilitate this, Uzbekistan could host a joint Project Office for Cooperation. This office would identify partners, support initiatives within free industrial zones, and assist in securing financing.
- Green Industrial Transformation: Shavkat Mirziyoyev advocated for the adoption of a joint Green Industrial Transformation Program aimed at improving energy efficiency, deploying clean technologies, and reducing the carbon footprint of manufactured goods."For our countries, this is no longer just an environmental issue, but a critical factor for the long-term competitiveness of our industries," he stated.
- Organized Labor Mobility: Cooperation in organized labor mobility must be elevated to a fundamentally new level by integrating national digital employment services, the President next proposed."The goal is to create a convenient, seamless digital environment that gives citizens direct access to verified job openings, employment terms, and migration laws. This approach will simultaneously address the needs of our respective labor markets, upgrade worker skills, strengthen the protection of citizens' rights, and mitigate the risks of illegal employment," he said.
- Tourism and Cultural Exchange: Shavkat Mirziyoyev identified tourism as one of the most dynamically evolving sectors of cultural and humanitarian cooperation.He invited EAEU member states to join the "Central Asian Tourism Ring" initiative and collaboratively promote it on the global stage.
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