The Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Program (CAREC) countries held the annual 9th session of the CAREC Federation of Carrier and Forwarder Associations (CFCA) at the Yyldyz Hotel in Ashgabat.
The meeting brought together the delegations of the sectoral ministries and core departments of China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan, as well as the representatives of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Customs Organization (WCO), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), large logistics companies and enterprises, experts and observers.
The agenda of the meeting focused on the progress report for work through the year, the further cooperation for the efficient implementation of the Programme's objectives, the measures taken to develop cooperation with the Customs Cooperation Committee (CCC), the partnerships on the professional development in the CAREC countries.
The meeting participants got acquainted with the progress and initiatives, implemented in the fields of logistics, CFCA assistance to CAREC efforts to develop trade, trade policy and energy, optimize customs procedures, etc.
In particular, the meeting participants discussed the proposals on the standardization of CFCFA, creation of a working group for coordination of this activity, coordinated actions to simplify the customs procedures and tariffs, etc. The organizational issues were considered and the decisions were taken.
Due to the constructive policy of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the formation of transport corridors of Turkmenistan and the whole Central Asia plays a crucial role to achieve the goals on the revival of the Great Silk Road.
The CAREC programme is a partnership of 11 countries and multilateral institutions working with the aim to develop through a mutually beneficial partnership, leading to the accelerated economic growth.
Promoting and supporting regional cooperation in the priority areas of transport, trade, trade policy and energy, CAREC helps Central Asian and neighboring countries to implement their enormous potential in increasingly integrated Eurasia.
Turkmenistan's active position in this structure is recognized as an important component of the foreign-policy strategy, pursued by the President of Turkmenistan to ensure the global cooperation in the name of peace and progress.
According to the meeting participants, using its advantageous geographical position and ensuring the optimal transit for entering the world markets will become a key feature of the future development not only of our country, but of the entire region.
In particular, those speaking during the meeting underlined the importance of the current session in creating the favorable conditions for the partnership, and emphasized Turkmenistan’s positive contribution to the formation of a new architecture of international relations based on the balanced sustainable development, where the improvement and diversification of the integrated transport systems with an innovative logistics infrastructure play an important role.
The active peace-making policy of Turkmenistan that priorities the regional integration in Central Asia, the partnership with the countries of the world community and international organizations, contributes to the solution of this task.
In this context, it was underlined the importance of the constructive proposals initiated by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov with regard to the enhancement of international cooperation in the transport and communications sector, which were put forward from the rostrum of the UN General Assembly.
The meeting participants emphasized that the significance of these initiatives was confirmed by the time, because the transport sector is one of the key segments of the world economy and an integral factor of the global sustainable development that has a direct impact on the stability and balance of the world economic relations.
The Executive Council and CFCA working groups held the sessions in the framework of the 9th regional meeting of the CAREC Programme countries.
In the next two days, the representatives of the CAREC Programme countries will hold the 17th meeting of the Customs Cooperation Committee and the 4th joint meeting of the above-mentioned Committee and the Freight Forwarders Associations.