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.