ASUNCIÓN, July 6. /Dunyo IA/. Delegation of Uzbekistan, headed by the First Deputy Chairman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis Sodyq Safoev, took part in the summit of leaders of MERCOSUR member states and partner countries in the capital of Paraguay, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

According to the upper house of parliament, the summit addressed issues related to the services sector, the development of transport and logistics infrastructure, the enhancement of trade diplomacy, as well as Paraguay's role as a vital transport, logistics and trade hub connecting the South American economy with global markets.

In his speech at the plenary session of the summit dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Asunción, Sodyq Safoev focused on the results achieved in the process of Uzbekistan's accession to the World Trade Organization. Uzbekistan's interest was also expressed in further expanding cooperation with the MERCOSUR countries in the fields of trade and investment, agriculture, food security, green energy, transport and logistics, education, science, tourism and cultural and humanitarian exchange.

Within the framework of the summit, the sides also discussed issues of increasing trade volumes between Uzbekistan and Paraguay, expanding mutual market access, and implementing joint projects in the agro-industrial, energy, mining, chemical and textile sectors, alongside establishing an intergovernmental commission and developing an industrial cooperation program.

It should be noted that MERCOSUR (the Southern Common Market) is the largest integration bloc of South American countries, established in 1991 to form a common market, ensure the free movement of goods, services, and production factors, and coordinate the economic and trade policies of its member states. Currently, the members of MERCOSUR are Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia. Their combined population is around 300 million people and their collective GDP is nearly 3 trillion US dollars.