High-Level Forum on the CAREC Region and the Multilateral Trading System: Deepening Integration In Central Asia And Beyond
On 22-23 October 2025 in Geneva, ADB and the WTO Secretariat co-organized the High-Level Forum on the CAREC Region and the Multilateral Trading System: Deepening Integration in Central Asia and Beyond. WTO Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala recognized CAREC region’s potential to play an important role in the re-globalization agenda and opportunities for the region to be a trade hub of land-linked economies. ADB Vice President for Administration and Corporate Management Bruce Gosper emphasized that multilateral trading system and regional integration are mutually reinforcing tools for prosperity and affirmed ADB’s continuing support to CAREC members’ in enhancing trade capacities, reducing trade barriers, and diversifying their economies. Lyaziza Sabyrova, Regional Head, Regional Cooperation and Integration of ADB’s Central and West Asia Department shared CAREC Program’s initiatives in improving regional connectivity and facilitating trade, as well as ongoing support to WTO accession of Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The Forum brought together negotiators of acceding WTO members, Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives of CAREC to WTO and international organizations in Geneva, development partners, and senior CAREC officials responsible for WTO-related matters. The Forum was organized to:
- Discuss how to navigate the challenges in the multilateral trading system amid increasing uncertainty in global trade and identify opportunities to enhance CAREC members’ access to global markets, diversify their economies, and promote a more resilient global value chain;
- Exchange views on the role of the rules-based multilateral trading system for the CAREC region, including agenda and preparations for the 14th Ministerial Conference of the WTO (MC14);
- Facilitate the exchange of experiences and lessons learned on WTO accessions and membership; and
- Strengthen collaboration between the CAREC Program and the WTO to support their common members on issues of mutual interest, including trade facilitation, trade in services, and digital trade.
Read the WTO News Releases on the ADB-WTO Forum and Role of CAREC Acceding Members
Event Materials
Presentations
Session 4 – The WTO Disciplines on Services Domestic Regulation – Elena Bertola, Legal Affairs Officer, WTO Trade in Services and Investment Division
Session 6 – CAREC: Enhancing Regional Connectivity and Facilitating Trade – Lyaziza Sabyrova, Regional Head, Regional Cooperation and Integration, CWRD, ADB
Session – 6 – Central Asia-Caucasus Perspective: Enhancing Digital Trade Facilitation along Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor – Nurbek Maksutov, CEFACT Vice-Chair, Kyrgyz Republic
Session – 6 -Enhancing the Competitiveness of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor (TCTC) in Central Asia – Celeste Laporte Talamon, OECD
Session – 6 – UNCTAD Trade Facilitation Reform Tracker – Poul Hansen, UNCTAD
Session – 7 – Fostering Digital Economy and Cross-Border Digital Trade – Dorothea Lazaro, Senior Regional Cooperation Specialist, Regional Cooperation and Integration, CWRD, ADB
Session – 7 – Topical Issue – Fostering Digital Economy and Cross-Border Digital Trade: The UNCITRAL Perspective – Luca Castellani, UNCITRAL Secretariate
Session – 7 – UNCTAD’s Support to Foster the Digital Economy and Cross-Border Digital Trade – Iris Macculi, Economics Affairs Officer, DTL, UNCTAD
See also:
Second Central Asia Trade Policy Forum: Economic Integration Through WTO Accession and Membership
This event is supported by TA 10516: Implementing the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Integrated Trade Agenda 2030 (Phase 2) – Subproject 1 (Trade Policy).