On the sidelines of the state visit of President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov to Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Investment, Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov and Turkmenistan’s Minister of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations Nazardurdy Agakhanov held detailed talks on the practical implementation of the newly launched Shavat–Dashoguz cross-border trade zone.
The ministers finalized the legal and operational framework for the joint trading center, which is designed to serve as a powerful platform for boosting bilateral trade, promoting national products, and fostering entrepreneurship on both sides of the border.
Key features of the zone:
- Total area: 6 hectares (3 ha on the Uzbek side + 3 ha on the Turkmen side), with the possibility of future expansion by separate international agreement.
- Visa-free regime: Citizens of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan may enter and exit the territory of the border trade zone without visas.
- Shared infrastructure and streamlined customs, sanitary, and phytosanitary procedures under the “single-window” principle.
According to the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan, the opening of the zone enables entrepreneurs from both countries to trade goods freely using common facilities and simplified procedures.