TASHKENT (TCA) — On December 27, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Ilhom Nematov held a video-conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which summed up the activities of the Ministry and diplomatic missions abroad in fulfilling the guidelines of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on attracting foreign investments into the economy of the country, promoting and expanding the export volumes, and increasing the tourist flow to Uzbekistan. The priority activity areas for 2019 were also identified, the Jahon information agency reported.
The meeting was attended by heads of diplomatic missions of Uzbekistan abroad via online video facilities.
It was emphasized that the head of state pays great attention to the effectiveness of foreign economic work of Uzbek diplomatic missions abroad.
In order to increase exports of Uzbek products, the missions abroad have done the following:
– analyzing the markets of host countries, the existing tariff and non-tariff barriers;
– close cooperation with quarantine authorities had been established to remove quarantine restrictions of foreign countries on the import of fruits and vegetables from Uzbekistan;
– a comprehensive assistance is rendered to Uzbek exporters in promoting their goods in foreign markets, their participation in exhibitions and fairs abroad, the signing of export contracts;
– a widespread awareness activity has been undertaken to promote domestic goods abroad under the brand “Made in Uzbekistan”;
– targeted activity to promote export from the provinces of Uzbekistan.
In 2018, the Foreign Ministry and diplomatic missions carried out consistent work aimed at increasing the number of inbound tourists.
In 11 months of this year, 4.9 million foreigners visited Uzbekistan, which is 94% more than in the same period of 2017 (2.5 million).
In 2018 in order to increase the tourists flow, a visa-free procedure was introduced for citizens of 9 countries, including France, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Tajikistan and Turkey. Today, the total number of visa free countries to visit Uzbekistan is 18.
Over the last year, representations overseas held over 250 presentations of the tourism potential of Uzbekistan. Diplomatic missions participated in more than 50 tourist exhibitions held abroad. Publications in foreign print and electronic media, as well as a demonstration of 1.2 thousand materials about the tourist potential of Uzbekistan on foreign TV-channels were arranged.
At the video-conference, the heads of diplomatic missions were tasked to implement the instructions of the head of state to intensify the foreign economic activity of the Foreign Ministry and missions abroad in 2019.
