BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 2. Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan discuss the creation of the "Uzbek-Turkmen border Trade Zone - Shopping Center" in the Shavat district of Uzbekistan's Khorezm region, Trend reports.
The issue was discussed at the meeting between Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan Jamshid Khodzhayev and the heads of interested ministries and departments, industry associations, and local authorities.
The sides analyzed the progress of the implementation of specific tasks defined in the Protocol on the establishment of the "Uzbek-Turkmen border Trade Zone - Trade Center", signed during the state visit of the President of Uzbekistan to Turkmenistan in October 2022.
The heads of the responsible working groups presented their reports on issues related to the allocation of a 3-hectare land plot in the Shavatsky district of Khorezm region, the development and coordination of design and estimate documentation with all interested ministries and departments, as well as the involvement of commercial banks to finance the project.
Targeted instructions were given to ensure the high-quality and timely implementation of each stage of the project with the establishment of control over the execution of tasks.
Aspects of interaction with the Turkmen side in the framework of coordinating the modes of operation of the trade zone, the application of benefits and preferences in tax administration, customs and border control were discussed.
The sides emphasized the necessity of consistent and high-quality joint study of issues arising during the implementation of the project.
Following the meeting, additional tasks were set within the framework of accelerating the implementation of the project.
Meanwhile, the trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan from January through November 2022 increased by 12.7 percent, compared to the same period of 2021, and amounted to $858.6 million.
During the reporting period, Uzbekistan’s imports from Turkmenistan amounted to $674.3 million, while exports - $184.3 million. Thus, Turkmenistan entered the top 11 biggest foreign trade partners of Uzbekistan from January through November 2022