The President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has instructed the approval of the protocol amending the agreement between the governments of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan on international road traffic, originally signed on March 9, 2018.
According to Uzbekistan's National Legislative Database, the protocol was signed on April 18, 2024, during Shavkat Mirziyoyev's state visit to Dushanbe.
By decree, the Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been tasked with notifying the Tajik side about the completion of the domestic procedures required for the protocol to take effect, as well as informing them about the competent authority responsible for its implementation. In this case, the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan has been designated as the responsible body.
The key provision of the protocol is the simplification of transit cargo transportation between the two countries. Once ratified by both Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, transit cargo trucks will be able to pass through each other's territories without the need for permit forms ("dozvols"), significantly easing the process.
The "dozvol" is a one-time authorization document that allows a vehicle registered in one country to transport cargo through or to another country. Each "dozvol" has a unique number and is used for specific shipments, including heavy, oversized, or hazardous cargo. Once the cargo is cleared at customs, the permit is closed and cannot be reused. In Tajikistan, these permits are issued by the State Service for Supervision and Regulation of Transport under the Ministry of Transport, often for a fee through logistics companies.
For the protocol to come into effect, Tajikistan must now ratify it. According to the Ministry of Transport of Tajikistan, over 1,200 transit cargo transports pass through both countries annually, and this number is expected to grow with increased cooperation.
The ministry emphasized that the simplification of transport between Tajikistan and other CIS countries, including Uzbekistan, through the elimination of permits will reduce delivery times and lower the risk of cargo damage. These measures align with Tajikistan's strategic goal of becoming a regional transit hub.
In recent years, Tajik cargo transporters have expressed frustration over delays in implementing transit without permits. Earlier complaints involved high costs for permits obtained through intermediaries, and in 2021, these issues even led to a truckers' protest outside the Ministry of Transport.
