The time demands that we transform our Central Asia Consultative Meetings from a consultative format of regional dialogue to a strategic format for Central Asia, said President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the 7th Consultative Meeting of Heads of State of Central Asia in Tashkent, APA 's correspondent in Tashkent reports.
"To achieve this goal, we propose to consistently strengthen the institutional and organizational foundations of the format, establish a secretariat operating on a rotational basis, and develop rules for consultative meetings that will ensure the elevation of the status of the national coordinator to the status of special representatives of the presidencies. In addition, based on our values and traditions of public diplomacy, we believe that it would be appropriate to create a Council of Elders consisting of influential public figures with extensive life experience. We believe that this will contribute to strengthening intergenerational ties in our countries, as well as strengthening regional solidarity and identity. Secondly, one of the priority tasks is to reach a qualitatively new level of trade, economic and investment cooperation," the President of Uzbekistan noted.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev said that the mutual trade potential and the total foreign trade turnover of the countries of the region allow for an increase of at least 1.5-2 times in the medium term: “We consider the elimination of administrative barriers, simplification of tax and customs procedures, and joint use of free economic and industrial zones to be long overdue. The development and adoption of a comprehensive regional program on trade and economic cooperation until 2035, covering the above-mentioned issues, will create favorable conditions for a significant increase in trade. We believe that the adoption of the Declaration on the Common Investment Space in the near future is especially important. This will strengthen the general principles of our investment policy, ensure comprehensive protection of investors' rights, and create the prerequisites for the formation of a single investment climate in our vast region. We believe that it is important to use the potential and new opportunities in e-commerce. According to various estimates, its market in Central Asia alone can grow to $150 billion in the coming decades. In this regard, we will harmonize our approaches and facilitate the creation of virtual trading platforms and reliable digital payment systems. It would be appropriate to develop a joint program of measures for the development of trade. Thirdly, the joint development of high-tech regional infrastructure and transport and logistics potential is very important for the future of the region. We propose to join efforts to implement strategically important regional projects for the construction and modernization of power plants, transmission lines, roads and railways, border crossings, green corridors, fiber-optic lines and others. To strengthen interregional transport connectivity, we give priority to projects such as the construction of a railway in China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, as well as the Trans-Afghanistan transport corridor. Great opportunities open up for us in the road lists and routes connecting the regions with European countries. We believe that it would be appropriate to establish an Infrastructure Development Council at the level of deputy prime ministers of our countries to coordinate work in these areas. The development and prosperity of our region directly depends on our efforts to ensure regional security and stability. I am sure that the concept of regional security and stability adopted today, as well as the catalog of risks and threats, will help us "It will help you fall."
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