Uzbekistan and Turkey Launch High-Level Business Council: What It Means for Suppliers
Presidents signed an agreement on a business support council and will expand preferential trade. Here's what tenders may appear and how to prepare.
What happened
On October 29 in Ankara, the presidents of Uzbekistan and Turkey, Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, signed an agreement to establish a High-Level Council for Business Support. Gazeta.uz reported this; UzA notes that the document formalizes the results of the summit. In addition, bilateral documents on trade and social security were signed, and Spot.uz writes that the countries will expand the list of goods covered by the preferential trade agreement.
The context is simple: Turkey has long been one of Uzbekistan's major trading partners, and the preferential regime reduces duties for some goods. The new council is a permanent platform where businesses from both countries will address market access, certification, logistics, and joint projects. For suppliers, this is a signal: some barriers will be removed faster, and the list of goods with preferences may grow.
What it means for suppliers
Those who already work with Turkish partners or are ready to join supply chains will benefit: manufacturers of textiles, clothing, and footwear, agricultural processors, and suppliers of construction materials and equipment. Expanding the preferential list lowers the cost of importing raw materials and components, which means local manufacturers have more chances to compete for orders—including in public procurement, where price and origin of goods matter a lot.
When specific tenders will appear is impossible to say: the agreement has just been signed, and the council's working mechanisms are yet to be launched. But logic suggests where to look first. Joint projects usually bring procurement of equipment and machinery, construction contracts, transport and logistics, and IT solutions. According to TenderLabs data as of October 30, there are 1,696 lots open in construction, 525 in IT, 521 in equipment and machinery, and 108 in transport and logistics. These are not Turkish tenders but the general market background: competition in these sectors is high, and it's worth preparing in advance.
Separately about textiles and clothing: there are 137 lots open there. If preferences for these goods are expanded, local garment manufacturers will have more opportunities to bid for procurement with competitive prices.
What to do now
- 1Check whether your products are covered by the current preferential trade agreement and monitor updates to the list of goods—this directly affects your costs.
- 2Get your import and export documents in order: certificates of origin, compliance with technical regulations. Without them, the preference won't apply.
- 3If you work with Turkish partners, specify in contracts who is responsible for certification and logistics—when duties change, terms will need to be revised.
- 4Set up monitoring of procurement in your sectors: equipment, construction, transport, IT, textiles. When the council starts working, new lots may appear faster than usual.
- 5Prepare your digital signature and accreditation on platforms in advance so you don't lose days on formalities when a tender is announced.
The agreement creates a framework for cooperation. TenderLabs can help you track relevant opportunities as they emerge.
Photo: Daryo.uz