Uzbekistan Faces Uphill Battle in WTO Bid

Uzbek officials have a tall mountain to climb in their bid to gain membership in the World Trade Organization. A government report showed that only 29 percent of Uzbekistan’s existing laws and standards comply with WTO regulations. Earlier this year, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev outlined a desire for Uzbekistan to qualify for WTO membership as soon as 2026. At an October 10 meeting to discuss the membership drive, Mirziyoyev noted some progress had been made toward harmonizing standards, but he emphasized “much work remains ahead of…