High-level talks in Uzbekistan last week looked at how TIR and eTIR can boost trade and improve the resilience of supply chains in a post COVID-19 trading environment.
The meeting included representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan, customs officials, IRU member the Association of International Road Carriers of Uzbekistan (AIRCUZ) and IRU.
The Uzbek government confirmed its interest in piloting eTIR at its border with Kazakhstan this year. The government also committed to expanding trade corridors in the region, helping Uzbek businesses access seaports in Pakistan and Iran. Enabled by the intermodal use of TIR, this increased access will transform Uzbekistan from a double landlocked country to a land-linked territory.
IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto thanked the government for its dedication to TIR and for recognising it as a vital tool to reduce physical sanitation risks related to COVID-19.