Uzbekistan has joined the World Logistics Passport, a private sector-led initiative designed to smooth the flow of global trade and improve market access. It is intended to provide benefits such as priority handling and faster customs clearance to its members, reducing supply chain costs and increase trade volumes.
It is stated that the World Logistics Passport (WLP) will bring increased traffic and revenues for Uzbekistani traders, will increase visibility of Uzbekistan to the WLP global network and will boost global connectivity. The Government of Uzbekistan is said to be on hand to facilitate and support traders in Uzbekistan to register as WLP members.
As a WLP Gateway, Uzbekistan will be able to access when trading with the UAE, where it joins a network of Hubs and other Gateways that spans Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Its membership includes India, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Brazil, Senegal, South Africa and the UAE amongst others.
H.E. Laziz Kudratov, First Deputy Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan, said, “WLP membership is great news for traders and freight forwarders who will benefit from a network of multimodal trade Hubs across the global South by delivering time and cost efficiencies. We look forward to the development of Uzbekistan as a WLP Gateway, opening up new opportunities for the country”.
Uzbekistan is Central Asia’s largest consumer market and a leading exporter of cherries, apricots, and carrots, with the World Bank predicting that its economy will grow by 4.8% in 2021, according to DP World.
