Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 17 February 2023, British Ambassador Tim Torlot and the Mission Director of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in Uzbekistan Mikaela Meredith, signed a partnership agreement to work together on projects aimed at supporting Uzbek small businesses in the agricultural and textile sectors. 

This is the first ever partnership agreement between the British Embassy and USAID in Uzbekistan and it will help more Uzbek exporters to maximise the benefits of the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (formerly known as the GSP). Uzbekistan was the first country admitted to the UK’s scheme, which is a preferential trade agreement that allows 91 percent of Uzbek goods and products to be exported to the UK at zero tariff rates.  

The project is looking to increase exports of agricultural and textile products to the UK, EU and other countries. It will include various capacity building and training activities in Samarkand, Bukhara, Namangan, Syrdarya and Karakalpakstan, including training for women on digitising embroidery patterns and providing support in securing buyers for the sale of embroidered textile products. 

Additionally, the project will train local farmers and agricultural companies on environmentally safe pesticide and fertiliser use, provide support for increasing sales and entering new export markets, advice on production and post-harvest handling practices, as well as food safety and certification. It will also support the exports of internationally certified freeze-dried fruits and vegetables. 

The British Ambassador, Tim Torlot, said that by working together with our US friends and colleagues, we can help more Uzbek exporters to enter the UK and EU markets, which in turn will help create more jobs in rural areas and increase prosperity by creating more trade opportunities.      

“On behalf of USAID, I am honoured to accept the British Embassy’s generous cash gift to help strengthen the agriculture sector here in Uzbekistan,” USAID/Uzbekistan Mission Director Mikaela Meredith said. “Our cooperation will help develop the agricultural sector of Uzbekistan, with the goal to send more Uzbek horticultural products into UK and EU supermarket supply chains,” she added.