In October alone, Uzbekistan is hosting three business delegations from Russia, comprising entrepreneurs from Moscow, Chelyabinsk, and Karelia. Additionally, representatives from Bukhara have returned from Tula.
The mutual attraction has intensified, especially following Vladimir Putin's visit to Tashkent in May, which included a large delegation of Russian business leaders and heads of key ministries. A course was set to enhance regional cooperation and industrial collaboration, and the results have quickly followed.
Since the beginning of the year, Uzbekistan's trade turnover with EAEU countries, primarily with Russia, has increased by 12%, reaching 11.4 billion dollars. The republic has not achieved such figures with any other foreign partner.
“The EAEU is a natural and desirable partner for Uzbekistan,” says Alexander Alexeyev from the Center for International and Socio-Political Issues “Caspian-Eurasia.” “Since the Tsarist era, it has been connected by rail with Russia and its closest neighbors; during the Soviet period, highways, gas pipelines, power lines, and air routes were added. There’s no need to invent or build from scratch. The only task left is to fill this grand network with new goods and services, strengthen industrial cooperation, and firmly establish ourselves in the traditional markets that were thoughtlessly surrendered to the Chinese, Turks, and Westerners after the dissolution of the USSR.”
Moreover, Uzbekistan is making strides in this direction. Yesterday, Shavkat Mirziyoyev approved a program for the construction of paid highways totaling 4,000 kilometers, which will traverse the country from north to south and from west to east. The objective is clear — to create optimal conditions for international cargo traffic.
In this scenario, the flow of export and import goods will increase. Even today, if Uzbekistan accelerates its accession to the EAEU, it could gain 1.2 billion dollars “just like that.” As they say, the game is worth the candle.
A significant advantage is the cooperation and the influx of relevant investors.
For instance, the Russian company “Arnest Packaging Solutions” (“AUR”) is investing 100 million dollars in the construction of the first aluminum can factory in Central Asia, located in the industrial park of Navoi. By autumn, the first production is expected, amounting to 1.5 billion cans annually, which will be more than enough for the republic and the entire EAEU.
Uzbekistan, as noted by all observers, is relentlessly raising the bar for its participation in the affairs and plans of the EAEU. This is encouraging. However, the endless delays in joining its ranks not only tarnish its reputation and cast a shadow of distrust but also lead to direct losses for the republic itself. This is a sober calculation.
For example, Uzbekistan would benefit significantly from gaining direct and unrestricted access to state procurement in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus. There’s a fortune to be made in the textile industry alone!
Joining the Eurasian Development Bank also promises a multitude of advantages, which has been unnecessarily prolonged. The country will receive substantial loans for profitable projects within the republic, without any political conditions or tedious discussions about fictitious “democratic values” like amendments to the criminal code to cease the fight against homosexuality.
Finally, we will fully address the issue of labor migration. Currently, the situation is tense, with everyone scrambling in different directions. This is largely because the process remains spontaneous, lacking solid frameworks. Such frameworks can only be established within the EAEU with the political will of all participants, including Uzbekistan, whose interest in this matter is beyond doubt.