Mirziyoyev: Uzbekistan ready to allow EAEU citizens entry with domestic documents

The meeting, chaired by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (in an online format), was attended by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Iran’s Minister of Industry, Mines, and Trade, Seyed Mohammad Atabak, representing an EAEU observer country. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel addressed participants via a video message.

The agenda focused on further expanding multilateral trade and economic cooperation, supporting industrial cooperation projects, and implementing joint programs in priority areas of collaboration.

During the summit, Mirziyoyev delivered a speech highlighting that Uzbekistan, as an observer, has established effective cooperation with the EAEU in 22 areas over the past few years.

It was noted that in 2024, Uzbekistan’s trade turnover with the union’s member states increased by 11%. In October, a new three-year cooperation plan, comprising nearly 40 measures in trade, industry, finance, agriculture, transport, and other sectors, was adopted with the Eurasian Economic Commission.

Uzbekistan is also actively participating in several sectoral programs related to trade and freight digitization, the introduction of e-commerce, and combating climate change.

Preparations are underway for the fourth meeting of the Joint Working Group in March next year.

The President emphasized the priority areas of mutually beneficial cooperation with the EAEU. In particular, he called for the gradual elimination of trade barriers in mutual trade. From this perspective, a proposal was made to work out, at the expert level, the issue of not applying tariff and non-tariff restrictions in trade between Uzbekistan and EAEU member states.

Expressing readiness to adopt an action plan, consultations on harmonizing technical regulation systems in the near future were also proposed.

The Uzbek leader also stressed Uzbekistan's participation in the Unified Customs Transit System agreement being signed at the event. He advocated for the prompt introduction of electronic data exchange regarding goods and vehicles crossing customs borders.

Interest was expressed in joining mechanisms and tools that support industrial cooperation and localization programs.

“To ensure reliable financial sources for promoting joint projects, we plan to complete the procedures early next year to become a member of the Eurasian Development Bank,” Mirziyoyev said.

To create favorable conditions for further engaging businesses and strengthening business connections, it was proposed to hold the EAEU Business Council meeting in April 2025 in Tashkent.

The importance of systematic cooperation in the field of digital technologies and artificial intelligence was underscored. An initiative to connect Uzbekistan to the EAEU’s integrated information system and the “Digital Union” project was advanced.

In the agricultural sector, a proposal was made to develop a cooperation program aimed at facilitating the mutual supply of agricultural products, implementing innovative agro-industrial projects, and introducing scientific developments.

To encourage tourism exchanges, the president stated Uzbekistan’s readiness to implement a procedure allowing citizens of EAEU countries to enter the country using their domestic documents.