Uzbekistan Hoping to Join WTO By 2026

World Trade Organization members met on May 24 with a delegation from Uzbekistan to discuss the Central Asian nation joining the global trade body, the WTO announced. Members at the meeting highlighted areas where more work is needed, including on the completion of market access agreements. Jamshid Khodjaev, deputy prime minister of Uzbekistan, said his goal is for Uzbekistan to join the WTO by the 14th Ministerial Conference in 2026. The chair of the talks, South Korea's Yun Seong-deok, said the talks occurred just six months after the seventh meeting, demonstrating the "accelerated pace" of the discussions.