Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan has outperformed a number of developed nations in trade facilitation, according to experts from the Institute for Macroeconomic and Regional Studies (IMRS) under the Cabinet of Ministers. This conclusion is based on an analysis of the results of the UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation (UNTF Survey 2025).

Conducted every two years and covering more than 180 countries, this international survey assesses progress in implementing digital solutions, improving transparency, and reducing administrative barriers in foreign trade activities.

The survey’s key metric is the Trade Facilitation Score, which reflects a country’s overall advancement across 62 indicators. These include implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), development of paperless trade, cross-border e-commerce, green trade initiatives, and the inclusion of small businesses and women entrepreneurs in international trade.

Uzbekistan has demonstrated one of the most dynamic and successful trajectories in the region. The country has significantly improved transparency, accelerated the digitalization of procedures, and substantially reduced bureaucratic formalities. Today, Uzbekistan not only leads among Central Asian nations but is also steadily reaching the level of the world’s leading economies, surpassing a number of developed countries.

In 2025, Uzbekistan achieved an impressive composite score of 92.47%, well above the Central Asian regional average of 77% and the global average of 70.4%. This result also exceeds the average score of many developed countries, which stands at 86%.

The most notable progress was seen in full transparency (100%), near-complete implementation of paperless trade (96.3%), and automation of customs procedures (95.83%). High levels were also recorded in cross-border paperless trade (88.89%), while institutional mechanisms and international cooperation were implemented at 66.67%.

Compared to 2023, when the overall index stood at 84.95%, Uzbekistan has improved by more than 7.5 percentage points. The greatest advances were in transparency and digitalization. The country has fully met its commitments to disclose regulatory information and has automated key stages of foreign trade processing. This has led to a dramatic reduction in paperwork, faster import-export procedures, and a more open and business-friendly environment for international trade participants.

Thanks to the active development of the “single window” system, the introduction of electronic platforms for obtaining permits and certificates, and the expansion of inter-agency data exchange, Uzbekistan continues to strengthen its position in global trade rankings. These achievements serve as clear evidence of the effectiveness of the country’s structural reforms in foreign trade.

Uzbekistan’s high score in the UNTF Survey 2025 is not only international recognition of its progress, but also a powerful signal to investors and foreign economic partners. The country is becoming increasingly open, transparent, and integrated into the global economy. These successes bolster Uzbekistan’s path toward accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and contribute to the formation of a modern, competitive trade infrastructure that supports sustainable economic growth and the ambitious goals of the national development strategy “Uzbekistan – 2030,” including large-scale expansion of goods and services exports.