Within the framework of the realization of the Memorandum on mutual understanding with the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which was signed on May 16, 2018 in Washington DC, expert in the field of international trade law Jovan Jekic has been appointed for the post of the advisor of the Minister of Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

“Becoming a member of WTO allows to significantly expand the geography of export and increase the amount of goods delivered to foreign countries. As it is clear, becoming a member of WTO is considered as a complex, hard and long-time process, and in this context, international expert helps us to take actions towards entering WTO on a purpose of taking as much benefit from becoming a member of the organization as possible,” – comments the Minister of Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan Jamshid Khodjaev.

Jovan Jekic has been working in the fields of International Trade Law, Intellectual Property Law, Customs Control and Procedure, proper regulation of commercial policies and politics of trade and investment for more than 35 years. During 2001-2017 years, he consulted the government of Azerbaijan, Tajikistan as well as Serbia and Montenegro towards accession to WTO. He supports constructive contacts with the representatives of the Secretariat of WTO in Geneva as well as the negotiation groups of other members of the organization.

Main fields of the responsibilities of Jovan Jekic include:

- Assistance in the preparation of the main document (Memorandum), which explains the Foreign Trade policy of the Republic for further presentation to the Secretariat of WTO;

- Preparation of proposals to make changes in the national legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan in accordance with the provisions of agreements of WTO;

- Proposal of suggestions towards the integration of the Republic in international conventions taking examples from the experience of the international expert;

- Proposal of suggestions towards the membership of Uzbekistan in WTO, in particular, organization of round-table discussions and meetings on specific topics with members of various organizations;

- Organization of seminars and round table discussions on tactics and strategies for conducting trade negotiations on accession to the WTO.