Uzbekistan

<p>The process of Uzbekistan&rsquo;s WTO accession was initiated in 1994, but was frozen in 2005, due to the self-sufficiency policy that existed during this time. In 2018, Uzbekistan renewed its accession process and since has made a number of trade liberalization reforms.</p><p>The Action will support Uzbekistan&rsquo;s development plans to modernize is economy through leveraging the process of WTO accession.</p><p>While the <strong>overall objective</strong> of the Action is to contribute to the economic development of Uzbekistan by assisting the country to create a trade environment that is in conformity with international standards, including predictable and enforceable laws and regulations, the <strong>specific objective</strong> of the Action is to create a trade environment that is in conformity with the World Trade Organization (WTO).</p><p>If Uzbekistan&rsquo;s WTO accession process concludes within the implementation phase of the Action, the focus will be to support compliance with WTO requirements and implementation of the commitments made during the accession process.</p>

<p>Poor Communities and Trade Programme (PCTP), at the International Trade Centre (ITC), aims to reduce global poverty by strengthening the capacities of developing country micro-entrepreneurs, social enterprises and emerging designers for export trade, in order to connect them with international buyers, in the value chain of ethical fashion, through an inclusive business model.</p><p>PCTP provides technical expertise and business support to informal micro-enterprises and to emerging designers, through a business support infrastructure (based on hubs managed by social enterprises) that enables them to acquire capacities to set up and manage production and quality control systems, logistics and supply chain management, market identification and buyer negotiation skills. This market-based approach to poverty reduction provides micro-entrepreneurs form the informal sector (for the majority women) &nbsp;with the direct benefits of trade by creating jobs and facilitating business opportunities resulting in increased incomes, improved livelihoods and new linkages to the formal economy.</p><p>Within its social enterprises around the world, ITC&rsquo;s Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI) in <u><strong>2019&nbsp;</strong>focus on the following deliverables<strong>:</strong></u></p><ul><li><strong><strong>Living wage assessments are carried out in 8 project countries</strong></strong></li><li><strong>African Fashion Fund in collaboration with the Ethical Fashion Initiative&nbsp;</strong></li><li><strong><strong>New business model, based on online trade is developed and launched</strong></strong></li><li><strong>Events in coordination with the UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion are organised</strong></li><li><strong>Generating awareness on the impacts of climate change and conflicts affecting livelihoods of people in selected project countrie</strong></li></ul><p><strong><u>In 2020</u></strong> the Initiative will focus on the following deliverables:</p><p><span style="font-weight: 700;"><strong>Output 3.1: Accelerator launched with six African designers 4 of which are from countries not involved in the existing project frameworks of the EFI (expansion of EFI&rsquo;s network and creation of new opportunities for intra-African trade).&nbsp;</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 700;">Output 3.2: <strong>Eritrea project framework tested through preliminary activities, designed and submitted&nbsp;</strong></span></p><p>In 2021</p>

<p>The objective of this project is to enhance the functionalities and effective use of Trade Facilitation Portals by beneficiary countries with a view to create a more conducing cross-border environment for traders through improved transparency and simplified trade formalities.<span>&nbsp;This project builds upon ITC - UNCTAD longstanding partnership in the area of trade facilitation and creates opportunities for further build synergies across the agencies&apos; respective technical assistance offering.</span></p>

<p>The 4-year EU-funded Project is a trade component of a larger EU-funded programme which aims to support Investment, Competitiveness and Trade in Central Asia, thus contributing to sustainable and inclusive economic development in the region. The Project will support the development of intra-regional and international trade in five Central Asian countries. This will be done by enhancing the transparency of cross-border requirements, removing regulatory and procedural barriers, strengthening business capability to comply with trade formalities and standards, as well as by improving cross-border e-commerce. The Project will be implemented by the International Trade Centre in close collaboration with national partners.</p><p>The Project will target selected sectors / value chains in each country based on the export potential and accounting for participation of women in the labour force in the sector. Each intervention will be customized to meet specific needs of the beneficiary countries. A 6-month inception phase will be carried out to calibrate the project approach and customise it to each country individual needs. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Enhancing the trade potential of Central Asian countries by providing SMEs with essential trade intelligence information on markets, trade flows, tariffs and import requirements, mandatory quality requirements and standards as well as by strengthening trade ties between the European Union and four Central Asian partners.</p>