TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, December 24. Uzbekistan and Iraq discussed ways to optimize tariff conditions for priority Uzbek exports, Trend reports via the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan.
The issue was reviewed during a working visit of Deputy Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan Shokhrukh Gulamov to Iraq, within the framework of which he held a series of bilateral meetings with senior officials of key Iraqi government bodies and business organizations. He also participated in the Uzbekistan–Iraq Business Forum, held in Baghdad.
In particular, meetings took place with Jumaa Al-Bahadli, Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources of Iraq; Ghassan Hamid, Deputy Minister of Trade for Economic Affairs; Salar Mohammad Amin, Deputy Chairman of Iraq’s National Investment Commission; Adil Akkab, Head of the Iraqi Federation of Industries; and Ibrahim Al-Baghdadi, Chairman of the Economic Council of Iraq.
During the discussions, the sides focused on expanding trade and economic cooperation, removing trade and regulatory barriers, accelerating certification procedures, and developing logistics chains, including through the use of regional transport hubs. The parties also reviewed prospects for increasing Uzbek exports of construction materials, textiles, carpets, food products, and jewelry, as well as facilitating the entry of Uzbek companies into the Iraqi market.
Special attention was paid to cooperation in the fields of industry and mineral resources. This includes the implementation of joint manufacturing projects, the establishment of joint ventures, mineral processing, and the supply of refined metals, engineering services, and industrial equipment.
At the conclusion of the visit, the Iraqi side was invited to visit Uzbekistan and to consider holding the first meeting of the Uzbekistan–Iraq Joint Economic Committee, alongside a bilateral business forum.
With a population of around 46 million and an estimated annual import demand of $53 billion, Iraq represents a large and promising market for Uzbekistan. The country annually imports textiles, carpets, and leather products worth about $3 billion, food products and construction materials totaling $4 billion, and electrical equipment valued at nearly $3 billion. In addition, Iraq’s furniture market is estimated at $1.2 billion, while pharmaceutical imports amount to around $2 billion.