12th CAREC Ministerial Conference

Ministers of the 10 CAREC member countries-Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, the People’s Republic of China, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan-expressed support for the refined CAREC Transport and Trade Facilitation Strategy 2020.

The strategy calls for a more integrated approach to improving transport and logistics infrastructure, and trade and transport facilitation.

Ministers also endorsed the revised Trade Policy Strategic Action Plan 2013-2017.

The plan calls for increased focus on nontariff measures and the removal of quantitative restrictions that are not World Trade Organization (WTO) compliant, to open trade and expand trade in services and thus bring about greater regional integration.

The ministerial meeting was opened by Kazakhstan Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov. Asian Development Bank President Takehiko Nakao delivered the keynote address.

The meeting was chaired by Economy and Budget Planning Minister and ADB Governor Erbolat Dossaev.

Kazakhstan’s Economy and Budget Planning Vice Minister Marat Kussainov delivered the Report of the Senior Officials’ Meeting to the CAREC ministers.

Representatives of the multilateral development partners shared their views on the overall theme of the conference-Integrated Transport and Trade.

The Ministerial Conference formally adopted the Joint Ministerial Statement and was closed by Mr. Dossaev.