Canada witnessed an increase in imports of inorganic chemicals and compounds of precious metals and radioactive elements from Uzbekistan, Global Affairs Canada (Department of Foreign Affairs of Canada) reported.
Canadian merchandise exports to Uzbekistan have traditionally been made of meat and seafood preparations, motor vehicles, medical and scientific instrumentation.
At the same time, Uzbek merchandise exports to Canada have traditionally been made of edible fruits and nuts, aluminum and articles, edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers.
In addition, in May 2019, about 35 Canadian companies from seven sectors participated in the largest-ever Canada trade mission to Uzbekistan.
The department also said that a decree signed by the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev in May 2019 designating the entire Navoi region a free economic zone (FEZ) for the period up to January 2030 was also an encouraging step, as many of the Canadian companies joined a business forum in the Navoi region afterwards.
It was also noted that Canada has increased its presence in various sectors in Uzbekistan beyond the energy sector, such as education and agriculture.
“Canada welcomes and supports Uzbekistan’s ongoing World Trade Organization (WTO) accession efforts with a focus on improving bilateral trade relations,” the department said. (AzerNews/Business World Magazine)