Features

The Second Central Asia Trade Policy Forum was held eight years after the first edition of the event in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

Improving Food Safety to Enhance a Country’s Social and Economic Well-Being

Turkmenistan is adopting international food safety standards to safeguard public health and to boost the trade of agro-food products.

A sneak peek at CAREC’s new strategy

The new strategy is an important milestone and a collective opportunity to unleash the potential of regional cooperation for Central Asia.

Central Asia Knowledge Network: Building Partnerships for Regional Cooperation on Water and Energy

Launched as part of the Central Asia Energy-Water Development Program (CAEWDP), the Network seeks to stimulate cooperation and knowledge exchange among local and regional institutions and practitioners in the area of water resource management, energy, and climate change.

Milestones in CAREC Transport

The 15th CAREC Ministerial Conference unanimously endorsed two strategies to promote safety along CAREC corridors and provide a blueprint for long-term development of CAREC railways.

CASA-1000: Powering up Central and South Asia

CASA-1000 is a short name for the Central Asia-South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Program. This is the first step towards creating the Regional Electricity Market which will leverage Central Asia's significant energy resources to help alleviate South Asia's energy shortages on a mutually beneficial basis.

A snapshot of e-commerce in Central Asia

In 2015, Central Asia made some important improvements in the environment for cross-border e-commerce: Kazakhstan's accession to the World Trade Organization will boost commercial transparency, while the Kyrgyz Republic’s membership in the Eurasian Customs Union expands its consumer base.

North-South Railway Project

A rail link between Buzkhun and Bereket will soon enhance the safety and efficiency of Turkmenistan’s railway network, and open up new opportunities for increased trade.

Faster Border Crossing Time, Higher Transport Costs in CAREC Countries

It takes slightly less time to cross border-crossing points (BCPs) but the cost of border clearances and traveling across CAREC corridors is significantly higher, according to the latest CAREC Corridor Performance Measurement and Monitoring (CPMM) Report.

Highlights of the CAREC Senior Officials Meeting

Aside from progress in the program's four priority sectors, the midyear CAREC Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM)discussed updates on the proposed economic corridor development (ECD) study, the CAREC development effectiveness review (DEfR), the CAREC corridor performance measurement and monitoring (CPMM) report, and the CAREC Institute.