Pakistan, Uzbekistan sign 9 MoUs to enhance bilateral cooperation

By
Zubeda Anjum Niazi
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Syed Naveed Qamar, the Federal Minister for Commerce of Pakistan, and Khodjave Jamshid Abdukhakimovich, the Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, have signed a number of Memorandums of Understanding.
Syed Naveed Qamar, the Federal Minister for Commerce of Pakistan, and Khodjave Jamshid Abdukhakimovich, the Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, have signed a number of Memorandums of Understanding.

Islamabad, 26 December 2022 (TDI): Syed Naveed Qamar, the Federal Minister for Commerce of Pakistan, and Khodjave Jamshid Abdukhakimovich, the Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, have signed a number of Memorandums of Understanding.

Syed Naveed Qamar and Khodjaev Jamshid Abdukhakimovich, who is also the Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan, co-chaired the signing session.

The aim of the meeting was to discuss ongoing initiatives between the two nations and to develop an action plan to increase trade turnover to $1 billion.

Syed Naveed Qamar, the Federal Minister for Commerce of Pakistan, and Khodjave Jamshid Abdukhakimovich, the Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, have signed a number of Memorandums of Understanding.
Syed Naveed Qamar, the Federal Minister for Commerce of Pakistan, and Khodjave Jamshid Abdukhakimovich, the Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, have signed a number of Memorandums of Understanding.

The below-given points and a Joint Action Plan suggested by Uzbekistan were agreed upon by the two parties.

  1. Implementation of the Pakistan-Uzbekistan PTA with effect from February 1, 2023, as Uzbekistan’s internal formalities will be finished in January 2023 and Pakistan’s have already been finished.

Both parties concurred that business communities in both countries should begin awareness programmes.

  1. Implementation of the Uzbekistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (AUPTT): Uzbekistan is expected to announce the rules in February 2023.

Also read: Uzbekistan, Pakistan to strengthen bilateral cooperation in multiple domains

  1. After agreeing on a joint agenda that would be presented to the Afghan side, both sides agreed to visit Kabul together in the last week of January 2023 to discuss all of the issues that the Pakistani and Uzbek transporters are currently facing.

  2. A Joint Strategy for transit trade through Afghanistan was agreed upon by both parties. Prepare a regional framework for transit and trade that includes a joint fund or maintenance mechanism for Afghanistan’s road infrastructure.

  3. The Uzbek side was informed that they would be joining the WT in 2023, and the Pakistani side pledged their full support.

  4. The Pakistani side offered full facilitation when the Uzbek side requested an Off Dock Terminal for Uzbek Cargo at Karachi and Gwadar.

  5. Both parties agreed to prepare a strategy for e-Commerce cooperation and to organize trade exhibitions in each other’s countries.

  6. The parties concurred to finalize the MRA for the SPS Measures as soon as possible.

  7. The Pakistani side agreed to inform the business community about the Termiz Economic Zone and the incentives provided by Uzbekistan.