Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Nov. 2
By Diana Aliyeva – Trend:
The regional countries see the future in the Central Asian countries’ cooperation, the Uzbek State Committee for Assistance to Privatized Enterprises and Development of Competition cited the participants of the 7th Central Asia Trade Forum held in Almaty Oct. 18-19 as saying.
The Uzbek delegation was represented by Head of the Competitive Environment Development Department of the Committee Ulugbek Kamaletdinov.
Central Asian countries will be able to make progress in the development of trade and economic ties within the region only through the cooperation with each other by exchanging experience, developing technical skills and improving customs regulations.
More than 500 heads of companies, representatives of the public sector from the Central Asian countries, other countries of the Asian region and Europe participated in the forum.
During the two-day forum, the participants discussed the development of trade cooperation within the region and the prospects for more active participation of the Central Asian countries in world trade.
One of the main topics is connected with an increase in exports of fruits and vegetables from the Central Asian countries.
According to the Uzbek State Committee’s data, only 5 percent of the total volume of foreign trade carried out by the Central Asian countries accounts for interregional trade and this problem is still relevant.
The Central Asian countries have recently made significant steps to develop trade relations with neighboring countries.
Uzbekistan has recently carried out reforms aimed at developing international trade. As a result, the country increased exports by 126 percent in 2017 compared to 2016.
As a result of a decrease in excises on some types of products, turnover between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan increased by 35 percent in January-July 2017 and the turnover is planned to be increased up to $5 billion by 2020.