On January 20, 2026, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) hosted a delegation from Uzbekistan at its Washington, DC, office. The meeting facilitated bilateral cooperation, information sharing, and the signing of a Cooperation Program Agreement for the Implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two organizations.
As Uzbekistan pursues accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Uzbek Agency for Technical Regulation is interested in aligning its standardization, conformity assessment, metrology, and market surveillance systems with international practices. The delegation included leaders from the Uzbek Agency for Technical Regulation (the national standards body under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan), the Uzbek Center for Accreditation, and the Uzbek National Institute of Metrology, accompanied by representatives from the Uzbekistan Embassy in the U.S.
Key Discussions
Joseph Tretler, ANSI senior vice president of international policy, welcomed the guests to the U.S. and to ANSI’s headquarters. ANSI senior executives introduced the U.S. standards system and ANSI’s role in domestic and international standardization, highlighting the recently published United States Standards Strategy 2025 (USSS) and United States Conformity Assessment Principles (USCAP), as well as ANSI’s engagement with U.S. government and consumers.
Dr. Akmal Jumanazarov, director of the Uzbek Agency for Technical Regulation, expressed Uzbekistan’s commitment to adopting international and U.S. standards to enhance bilateral trade and market access, align with international best practices and WTO requirements, and strengthen domestic workforce capacity.
Both organizations signed a Cooperation Program Agreement for the Implementation of an MOU, setting out concrete steps for collaboration over the next two years as a follow-up to the MOU signed in Cartagena, Colombia, in September 2024.
Further Bilateral Cooperation
ANSI also facilitated the delegation’s meetings with additional U.S. public- and private-sector stakeholders: the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Department of Commerce, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), UL Standards and Engagement (ULSE), and ASTM International, among others.
Representatives met with the delegation over the course of the week to provide overviews of their respective roles, requirements, and activities in standards development, laboratory accreditation, testing and licensing. Attendees also discussed capacity building opportunities in the Uzbek delegation’s areas of interest, such as human food, medical devices, textiles, home appliances, and emerging technologies like AI and quantum. The in-depth discussions enabled both sides to exchange insights, deepen mutual understanding, and identify potential avenues for future collaboration.
Get Involved
ANSI members have exclusive access to events like these and more. To participate in future delegation meetings, reach out to the International Development team at [email protected].
