Expert: Central Asia's openness to the world should remain an imperative for the region-wide policy
This was stated by Akramjon Neymatov, First Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies (ISRS) under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, speaking at the first meeting of the Uzbek-Kazakh Expert Council held on August 2, in Astana.
The event, organized by ISRS jointly with the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, was attended by the chairmen and representatives of ministries and departments, as well as expert and analytical circles of the two countries.
According to Mr. A. Neymatov, today the world is experiencing a deep complex crisis. The system of international relations has entered a period of prolonged uncertainty. As specified by Akramjon Ilhamovich, the unpredictability of the external environment and its rapid changeability will be a characteristic feature of the coming years.
This will hinder our efforts to ensure sustainable development of the Central Asian states. For this reason, regional cooperation remains the only viable option for addressing the most serious security risks and ensuring sustainable development of the Central Asian countries.
As the analyst emphasized: "We need to jointly form in the region a capacious interconnected market, a barrier-free space of free trade and industrial and technological cooperation, and integrate it into global value chains, transform our region into an important link of interregional interconnectivity and increase its competitiveness".
It was noted that Central Asia's openness to the world and its constructive interaction with external actors should remain an imperative of the policy throughout the region.
In this context, the policy of active participation in integration associations in Eurasia together with the policy of openness, maintaining balanced relations with all extra-regional actors will contribute to the transformation of the region into an important trans-regional transport and logistics, production and technological hub of the world economy.
At the same time, A. Neymatov emphasized the importance of transition to digitalization of all sectors of the economy and promotion of the creation of a unified e-commerce platform through the adoption of a regional program.
The expert expressed with confidence that the development of digital infrastructure will increase the transparency of procedures, the efficiency of management institutions, and, in general, will contribute to the creation of a more favorable investment climate.
Moreover, it was emphasized that CA countries need to develop consolidated approaches in ensuring food and water security. "This requires the adoption of the Regional Food Security Strategy and the Strategy for the Rational Use of Water Resources of Transboundary Watercourses" Akramjon Ilhamovich emphasizes.
"In turn, to solve the problem in transport and logistics spheres, it is proposed to adopt the Strategy of Regional Transport Corridors in Central Asia, adopt the Regional Program for Sustainable Development of the Transport System of CA and form the Regional Council on Transport Communications of CA countries to coordinate interaction in the development of transport and logistics sector in the region," the analyst noted.
Special attention was paid to the need for close coordination of efforts in security issues, which are even more relevant in the context of crisis phenomena in the global economy.
Considering this, Mr. Neymatov pointed out the importance of working together to develop a common vision of regional security, taking into account the inextricable link between security and sustainable development, to determine the central role and responsibility of our states in ensuring the common and indivisible security of Central Asia.
According to the expert, today there is a reassessment of the role and place of Central Asia in the system of international relations and world economic ties. The huge human, resource, raw material and production potential of Central Asia is already attracting the attention of the international community, the international subjectivity of the region and its role in the world arena are increasing.
"In these conditions, the maintenance and development of strategic dialog are the demands of time. I am confident that the implementation of the above-mentioned measures, as well as the coordination of our actions will allow us to fully utilize the internal reserves of the region, will significantly increase the sustainability of Central Asia," Akramjon Ilhamovich summarized.
