Uzbekistan has taken a significant step toward strengthening its role as a central trade hub in Central Asia with the launch of its National Trade Facilitation Roadmap 2025–2030, developed in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). 

The roadmap was officially launched last week in Tashkent during the meeting of the National Trade Facilitation Committee, chaired by Aziz Urunov, Special Representative of the President of Uzbekistan on World Trade Organization (WTO) issues and Chief Negotiator. The UNECE presented the roadmap at the meeting, which brought together representatives from the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade, Ministry of Transport, State Customs Committee of Uzbekistan and other relevant officials, as well as the private sector representatives. Donor agencies also came together to coordinate efforts in implementing the measures of the roadmap.  

Serving as a comprehensive framework, the roadmap outlines Uzbekistan’s trade facilitation reforms over the next five years and directly supports its goal of WTO accession by 2026. A preface for the official publication of the document was previously signed by Mr. Urunov and UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean at the WTO headquarters on 2 December 2024. 

Developed using UNECE’s methodology, using an assessment of the country’s readiness to implement the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) done by UNECE and Uzbekistan experts and a draft study on the regulatory and procedural barriers to trade, the roadmap is aligned with the United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA), particularly its Trade Facilitation Strategy and Principles for Sustainable Trade. The roadmap distinguishes between two sets of objectives and categorization of the WTO trade facilitation measures: the readiness of Uzbekistan on the binding TFA measures and a broader set of objectives, which reflect the country’s long-term objective for profound trade facilitation reforms, making it one of the most dynamic economies today. The implementation of the binding measures is almost complete and will allow the country to accede to the WTO at the next WTO Ministerial Conference in 2026. 

Uzbekistan envisions becoming a key contributor to regional trade in Central Asia, fostering a dynamic, efficient, and inclusive trade ecosystem. The results of the recent UN Global Survey revealed that the trade facilitation performance of Uzbekistan is currently at an implementation rate of 85% — the highest in the region. 

The roadmap sets out clear priorities to achieve this vision: 

• Strengthening institutional, legal, and policy frameworks;
• Streamlining trade procedures;
• Leveraging technology to drive digital transformation;
• Promoting sustainable and inclusive trade;
• Building capacity, particularly for SMEs and women-led businesses. 

As a double Landlocked Developing Country (LLDC), Uzbekistan faces inherent challenges such as dependency on transit countries, high trade costs, and infrastructure bottlenecks. These challenges make trade facilitation and regional connectivity critical areas for reform. 

UNECE plays a key role in advancing these efforts through its norms, standards and policy recommendations — particularly the UN/CEFACT package of standards and ongoing work on enhancing digital connectivity — which enable the digitalization of trade and improved coordination along international transit corridors. 

UNECE remains committed to supporting Uzbekistan and other programme countries in trade modernization through global standards, collaborative frameworks, and innovative policy tools.