BAKU, Azerbaijan, Aug. 10
By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:
There is an enormous opportunity for the UK and Uzbekistan to cooperate more closely in a number of areas, including trade and investment, environmental issues, stronger ties between our two parliaments, and building on the already strong links we have in many sectors, British Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Timothy (Tim) Torlot told Trend in an interview.
According to Tim Torlot, UK has a good relationship and cooperates closely with Uzbekistan in a number of fields, including supporting media freedom and human rights reform, encouraging trade and stronger business relationships, and in educational and tourism links.
“Our cooperation is further enhanced by the signing last year of the partnership and co-operation agreement and by the announcement in May 2020, that the UK Department for International Development would launch a bilateral program in Uzbekistan. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have worked hard to strengthen the high-level political dialogue between our ministers and senior officials. And there has been surprisingly high participation in our regular online business event,” the ambassador said.
Torlot stressed that UK welcomes Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s reform program, including economic liberalization, human rights and political reform
“President Mirziyoyev’s ambitious reform program has made it possible for the UK to develop a strong partnership with Uzbekistan. It is important that these reforms continue, despite the challenges of the coronavirus,” he said.
According to the ambassador, the UK companies are mostly involved in the service sector (i.e. consultancy, education, engineering services and professional services) on Uzbek market.
Torlot also emphasized the importance of Uzbekistan's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO).
“Joining the WTO would help open access to world markets and promote competition in the domestic market. It would also help provide further legal protection for companies and opportunities to settle trade issues, and help encourage investment in Uzbekistan. Entry into the WTO would also help lower trade barriers which would bring benefits for consumer by increasing competition and lower prices for consumers,” he stated.
UK is ready to help Uzbekistan in its bid to join the WTO, Torlot added.
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