On Wednesday, 28 December, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan to discuss the progress of work on the creation of the “Uzbek-Turkmen border trade zone – Trade Center” in the Shavat district of the Khorezm region.
The meeting was attended by heads of involved ministries and departments, industry associations, local authorities, the ministry reports.
The progress in the implementation of specific tasks defined in the Protocol on the creation of the “Uzbek-Turkmen border trade zone – Trade Center”, signed during the state visit of the Head of Uzbekistan to Turkmenistan in October this year, was analyzed in detail.
The agenda of the meeting included the following items:
- Allocation of a land plot of 3 hectares in the Shavat district of the Khorezm region
- Development and coordination of design and estimate documentation with all interested ministries and departments
- Attracting the opportunities of commercial banks to finance the work on the project.
Also, aspects of interaction with the Turkmen side were discussed in the framework of coordinating the operating modes of the Trade Center, the application of benefits and preferences in tax administration, customs and border control.
The ministry stressed the importance of launching the trade zone as soon as possible for the development of trade and economic relations between the two countries.
What will the Turkmen-Uzbek border trade zone look like?
In October 2021, the agreement was signed between the governments of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan “On the establishment and regulation of the work of the Turkmen-Uzbek border trade zone – a trade center”. The construction of the border trade zone is being carried out on the adjacent territory of the two countries at the Shavat-Dashoguz border crossing point.
In October 2022, during the official visit of President Mirziyoyev to Ashgabat, the heads of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan took part in the solemn ceremony of laying the foundation of the Turkmen-Uzbek border trade zone via teleconference.
The infrastructure of the zone will include trade pavilions, warehouse facilities, container sites and workplaces for entrepreneurs. The project will play an important role in the growth of mutual trade and intensification of business contacts.
The main activities of the trade center will be:
- development of modern forms of international and regional wholesale and retail trade;
- development of logistical services, creation of a system of intermodal transportation of goods, engaging road and river transport, services for freight carriers;
- creation of storage facilities, container sites, parking spaces for vehicles, refrigerated warehouses and other necessary facilities.
It is also planned that a 10-day visa-free regime will operate on the territory of trade zones for citizens of the two countries. ///nCa, 29 December 2022