WT/MIN(22)/ST/107  
12 June 2022 
(22-4547) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Twelfth Session  
Geneva, 12 -15 June 2022  Original: English  
 
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR SARDOR UMURZAKOV  
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, MINISTER OF  
INVESTMENTS AND FOREIGN TRADE  
UZBEKISTAN  
(Speaking as an Observer)  
On behalf of the Government of Uzbekistan  allow me to sincerely congratulate  Switzerland , 
Kazakhstan  and WTO  Secretariat for the excellent organization of the 12th Ministerial Conference 
of the World Trade Organization (MC12 ). 
For us WTO accession is an absolute priority  and one of the main direc tions of the foreign 
economic policy.  
We are living in a quite challenging time for multilateral trading system. In these difficult conditions 
WTO  remains an important institution that stimulates economic growth and employment . In 
this regard the MC12  has a very crucial role in building up beneficial trade rules to all 
stakeholders . 
In our view, issues that are being discussed within the current WTO  Agenda  have a critical 
significance to preserve and strengthen the multilateral trading system. Among such ar eas, we would 
like to highlight the Organisation 's response to the  COVID -19 pandemic , food crisis, elimination 
of fisheries subsidies and Agricultural reform.  
We welcome the new initiative within the WTO  on trade and environmental sustainability . 
Uzbekistan  pays a special attention to overcoming consequences of the climate  change , 
protecting  the environment  and biodiversity . 
We are determined to achieve the goals of the Paris  Agreement  and to double the energy  
efficiency  of our econ omy by 2030 , increase the share of renewable energy to 25% of the total 
generation.  
Since 2017 , under the Leadership of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan  H.E. Shavkat 
Mirziyoyev we have  launched comprehensive reforms towards creating and enabling  
market  based economy . 
Today we enforce the rule of law, fight corruption without compromise, encourage competition and 
categorically limit monopolies.  
2022 -2026  Development Strategy of New Uzbekistan initiated by the  President clearly 
stipulates this poli tical will.  
Furthermore, creation of comfortable and attractive conditions for foreign investors  became 
an important factor to ensure accelerated development of all sectors and regions of the country 
during post -pandemic recovery period.  WT/MIN( 22)/ST/ 107 
 
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  In addition, I would like to emphasize that the ongoing reforms in Uzbekistan  have gained an 
irreversible effect and the country will not deviate from its path of building a democratic society and 
a free market economy.  
I would like to draw attention of WTO Members to the fact that since 2016 there were no new 
accessions  by candidate countries to the Organization . 
Moreover, due to the negative consequences  of the COVID -19 pandemic , the process of 
accession  to WTO  has become even more complicated  and requires serious efforts from the 
applicant countries to satisfy the requests of Member States within the realities of current challenges.  
In this regard, Uzbekistan  fully supports the relevant Paragraph of the MC12 Outcome 
Document  on accessions  and urges distinguished WTO Members  to be more flexible  in 
matters of new accessions, and give special consideration to this effect . 
As a Coordinator of the Informal Group of Acceding Countries  (IGAG ) at WTO , Uzbekistan  will 
do its best to promote interests of  other  acceding states during upcoming meetings.  
We consider the process of Uzbekistan’s accession  as an integral part of the ongoing reforms aimed 
at further integration of our country  into the world economic relations and the multilateral trading 
system.  
At the same time, we build on the belief that liberalization of access to the market of goods and 
services should not have a negative impact on sectors of the country's economy, primarily those 
that are at the stage of formation or modernization and have a good development potential.  
Uzbekistan is interested in becoming a member of the WTO as a developing country  and 
making its effective contribution to the further development of the multilateral trading system.  
We are committed to continue our cooperation  with Member States and the Secretariat of the WTO  
on implementing technical assistance programs. In this regard, we will be hosting next China Round 
Table  on accessions in Samarkand with the support of the  WTO  Secretariat and Government of 
China later this year . 
For the past two years, we have intensified our efforts to become a full -fledged member of WTO . 
In July 2020 , despite the global pandemic  and after 15-year break the 4th meeting of the Working  
Party  on Uzbekistan's  accession to the WTO  was held.  
We also held a number of bilateral negotiations on access to the market of goods and services with 
interested WTO members.  
Right after the MC12 the next 5th meeting of the Working  Party  on accession to WTO  will be held  
on 21 – 22 of June  2022 . We are ambitious about our accession to the Organization  and we 
intend to complete this process as quickly as possible.  
In conclusion, I would like to thank Mr. Suleimenov  and Director -General Dr.  Okonjo -Iweala  for 
all their work to p roduce a successful MC12 . 
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