TASHKENT (TCA) — A U.S. Department of Commerce Certified Trade Mission featuring 13 major US companies is visiting Tashkent this week to learn more about the business and investment climate in Uzbekistan, and to meet with top Uzbek government officials, American Chamber of Commerce members, state enterprises and other Uzbek companies, the US Embassy in Uzbekistan said on June 18. The certified trade mission fulfills a pledge made by US Commerce Department Secretary Wilbur Ross to Uzbek President Mirziyoyev during his visit to Tashkent last fall.

The group, which includes representatives from globally recognized U.S. firms GE, Bechtel, Procter & Gamble, and John Deere, hopes to identify possible trade and investment opportunities.

“While U.S.-Uzbekistan trade has more than doubled from approximately $150 million in 2017 to over $300 million in 2018, significant opportunities exist to strengthen commercial and economic ties,” Commerce Secretary Ross stated.

“Uzbekistan’s economic landscape is changing rapidly, thanks to ambitious reform efforts by the Government of Uzbekistan. More and more American businesses are exploring opportunities in the Uzbek market. We encourage deeper and broader contacts between the U.S. and Uzbek private sectors,” said U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Daniel Rosenblum. “The many business sectors represented by the trade mission participants reflect the growing trade and investment opportunities in Uzbekistan as this country seeks to diversify its economy and leverage its strategic geography in the heart of Central Asia,” he added.

The trade mission kicked off with a briefing from U.S. Ambassador Rosenblum and senior Uzbek government officials, led by the Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Sardor Umurzakov. Ministers from Energy, Transportation, and Health presented investment opportunities in their sectors and answered questions asked by the delegation of the trade mission.

“The United States of America is a strategic partner of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Further expansion of mutually beneficial trade and economic, investment, financial and scientific and technical cooperation between our countries is one of the key aspects to strengthen bilateral ties. I am convinced that events like this serve to strengthen contacts and trust between the business communities of our countries and helps find new areas of cooperation,” said Sardor Umurzakov, Uzbek Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade.

NUR-SULTAN (TCA) — Kazakhstan is keen to work closely with Norway and the Norwegian business, Roman Vassilenko, Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, said at the Business Seminar “Kazakhstan: New Economic Opportunities for cooperation with Norway,” held in Oslo on June 18, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry reported.

Vassilenko said that the annual trade turnover between the two countries is just over $60 million, which signifies that there’s a huge unutilized potential for business-to-business interaction.

He singled out major areas for economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and Norway.

The first is transports and logistics. “In order to boost trade we need to improve connectivity. We have already set up very efficient railroad communication connecting Eastern China with Western Europe. Container shipments going through Kazakhstan reach their destination in just two weeks, which is much faster than the maritime route and much cheaper than air cargo transportation. With Finland already connected, we believe that the whole of Scandinavia, especially Norwegian seaports, can benefit from this route,” Vassilenko said.

“We would like to encourage all Norwegian transport and logistics companies, and those who trade with Asian and Central Asian countries, to participate in this initiative. We are ready to put you in touch with the relevant partners in Kazakhstan and along the whole route.”

Agriculture is another area with huge potential for cooperation.

Today, Kazakhstan is among the top ten countries exporting grain and flour, Vassilenko said. “We know that Norwegian companies are interested in our grains. By the end of last year, over 43,000 tonnes of grain were exported from Kazakhstan to Norway. According to our estimates, this figure can be significantly increased.”

Kazakh businesses are also interested in exporting natural juices, dried fruits and many other products, Vassilenko said, adding that “in this context, there are great opportunities for organizing joint processing industries with Norwegian partners”.

It looks promising to establish joint projects with the Norwegian partners in the production of agricultural products for export, primarily to China, the Kazakh deputy foreign minister said.

KABUL (TCA) — Former Indian ambassador to Afghanistan, Amar Sinha, says that Daesh (Islamic State or IS) in Afghanistan is a tool of the Pakistani army which has been fabricated to put pressure on the Afghan government and on the Taliban if the group eventually gets reintegrated and mainstreamed in the structure of the Afghan government, Afghan broadcaster TOLOnews reported.

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KABUL (TCA) — The U.S. envoy seeking a peace deal with the Afghan Taliban has said Washington is seeking a “comprehensive peace agreement, not a withdrawal agreement” in its talks with the Taliban, RFE/RL’s Radio Free Afghanistan reported.

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BISHKEK (TCA) — China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) could speed up economic development and reduce poverty for dozens of developing countries, including in Central Asia — but it must be accompanied by deep policy reforms that increase transparency, improve debt sustainability, and mitigate environmental, social, and corruption risks, a new World Bank Group study on the BRI transportation corridors has found.

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URUMQI (TCA) — Frozen fish imports from Kazakhstan through the port of Horgos in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region saw a dramatic increase in the first five months of the year, Xinhua news agency reported on June 18.

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