Strategy CAREC 2030 – toward shared sustainable development
Today, Dushanbe has hosted the 16th ministerial conference on Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC).
The event was opened by keynote address by the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.
The heads and representatives of international organizations, leading multilateral financial institutions, CAREC partners - the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the World Bank Bank, Asian Bank for Infrastructure Investments, European Commission, Eurasian Development Bank, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), World Trade Organization (WTO), the Japan International Cooperation Agency in Tajikistan (JICA), as well as delegations from 11 CAREC-countries - Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, attended the conference. The experts from United States, Japan and the United Kingdom also participated in the gathering.
As the Tajik leader noted, the CAREC space covers “a market with 70 million consumers, the economic sectors of countries are interconnected, and this factor creates favorable terms for cooperation." At the same time, " ensuring the competitiveness of national economies and the formation of common regional markets in the context of globalization is of key importance for the region", quotes Tajkistan Times the President E.Rahmon.
The main outcome of the meeting was the approval of a new long-term CAREC Strategy until 2030 and the adoption of the Dushanbe Declaration.
The program document provides for the expansion of CAREC activities, including the strengthening of its role in supporting regional and economic sustainability. Tourism, agriculture, water resources, health and education are emphasized as priority areas of efforts. At the same time, CAREC will continue to focus on such sectors as transport, energy, trade and the development of economic corridors.
CAREC 2030 Long-Term Strategic Framework also outlines the tasks for member countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and COP21 climate targets.
President of ADB Takeshiko Nakao said at the conference that Bank is ready to provide US $ 5 billion for realization of the new strategy in the next five years.
Dushanbe Declaration underscores the relevance of closer cooperation of the CAREC region with the development partners and other stakeholders in the framework of regional projects and programs, including One Belt One Road initiative.
Turkmenistan joined the CAREC in 2010. As of 2016, over half a billion dollars have been invested in transport projects.
Turkmenistan takes an active part in the planning of regional projects in the field of transport, trade and energy security.
The country's membership in CAREC increases the capacity of the program in creation more integrated transport network in Eurasia. Two of the six CAREC corridors pass through Turkmenistan (2 and 3) that provide the country connectivity through Azerbaijan to Turkey and Europe; eastward to the PRC, north to Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation, and also south to the ports of Karachi and Gwadar on the Arabian Sea.
One of the first CAREC projects in Turkmenistan is the creation of a North-South railway corridor.
