Uzbekistan and Turkey have reached an agreement to expand the list of goods that can benefit from a preferential trade regime. This decision was made following a meeting of the Working Group of Uzbekistan and Turkey on the preferential trade agreement.
During official meetings in Uzbekistan, a Turkish delegation led by Deputy Minister of Trade Mustafa Tuzcu visited the country. The co-chairs of the meeting were Akram Aliyev, Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan, and Mustafa Tuzcu.
During discussions, both sides focused on mutually expanding the range of products covered by the conditions of preferential trade. At the conclusion of the third round of negotiations, participants reached a common understanding on the main issues.
The meeting concluded with the signing of a protocol confirming the inclusion of additional categories of goods in the list eligible for the preferential regime, taking into account the interests of both countries.
Participants emphasized that the agreements reached should contribute to further stimulating bilateral trade, increasing export and import volumes, and supporting the goal of the two states to increase trade turnover to 5 billion US dollars.
The volume of bilateral trade between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan reached 80.1 million US dollars from January to March 2026. This figure demonstrates a growth of 42.5% compared to the same period last year.
According to Hurarram Teshabaev, Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan, in an interview with the Azerbaijani publication Report.az, the absolute increase amounted to 23.9 million US dollars. During the reporting period, Uzbekistan's exports to Azerbaijan reached 53.9 million dollars, while imports from Azerbaijan totaled 26.2 million dollars.
Teshabaev noted that this trend indicates stable mutual demand, activation of business ties, and deepening joint interaction among the business communities of both countries. Both nations have set a goal to increase total trade turnover to 1 billion dollars by 2030.
The Deputy Minister called this goal 'realistic and strategically significant' but emphasized that if the current momentum is maintained, the target may be achieved earlier than planned. He stressed that the policy is aimed not only at increasing volumes but also at qualitatively improving the structure of trade through the development of industrial cooperation, the creation of joint production capacities, and increasing the share of high value-added goods.
Several trade facilities are already operating in Azerbaijan to stimulate economic growth. These include trade missions, the Uzbek Chamber of Commerce, the Agricultural Chamber, and a specialized exhibition hall under the brand 'Made in Uzbekistan' in Baku. Expanding this commercial infrastructure is seen as the main mechanism for further increasing trade turnover.
The President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, reviewed a presentation dedicated to implementing a unified integrated digital platform for public administration, developing the startup ecosystem, and optimizing the telecommunications environment.
During the event, an initiative was presented to create its own national navigation system. It was noted that the country currently relies heavily on foreign navigation platforms. The proposed national system will allow for the generation of geospatial data based on a single standard, which will increase efficiency in the fields of transport, logistics, emergency services, urban planning, and the provision of public services.
The presentation also included plans to expand the export of IT services and support the startup ecosystem. The government aims to increase the volume of IT service exports to 5 billion US dollars by 2030, support 5 thousand active startups, and attract investments amounting to 2 billion dollars.
To accelerate industrial growth, it was proposed to launch the 'Talent Hub' program, which will allow foreign specialists and investors to remotely register a company, open a bank account, and obtain an international bank card. Furthermore, it was suggested to extend tax benefits for employees of companies registered in the IT Park until 2040, as well as expand the scope of the IT Visa and Zero Risk programs.
Additional mechanisms for supporting IT service exporters were also provided. Specifically, proposals include partial compensation for salary-related expenses, coverage of relocation costs for foreign clients and specialists, and costs associated with obtaining international certification. Among the initiatives presented were plans to launch over 20 acceleration programs in Bukhara and Fergana aimed at growing startups and entering international markets.
At the conclusion of the presentation, the President approved the submitted proposals and instructed relevant agencies to ensure the integration of public data, improve the quality of digital services, strengthen cybersecurity and personal data protection, and create more favorable conditions for the growth of the private sector in the IT industry.
