6th CAREC Regional Trade Group Meeting

Objectives: The 6th Meeting of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Regional Trade Group (RTG) will (i) review the implementation progress of the CAREC Integrated Trade Agenda (CITA) 2030; (ii) discuss the midterm review of CAREC 2030 strategy and mainstreaming of Climate Change actions and operationalizing the CAREC Climate Change Vision in CAREC trade sector work; and (iii) endorse the Rolling Strategic Action Plan 2024-2026, which will be reported to CAREC Ministers through the Senior Officials’ Meeting on 30-31 May 2024 in Astana.

Reference documents: CAREC Trade Sector Report 2023-2024 and Rolling Strategic Action Plan 2024-2026; Regional Action on Climate Change: A Vision for CAREC

Participants: Appointed Representative of Countries to the CAREC Regional Trade Group, Development Partners, Experts

Chair
Kairat Balykbayev, Vice Minister, Ministry of Trade and Integration (MTI), Kazakhstan

Co. Chair
Lyaziza Sabyrova, Regional Head, Regional Cooperation and Integration, Central and West Asia Department (CWRD), Asian Development Bank (ADB)

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09:30 – 09:40

Opening Discussion

Kairat Balykbayev, Vice Minister, Ministry of Trade and Integration (MTI), Kazakhstan

Lyaziza Sabyrova, Regional Head, Regional Cooperation and Integration of Central and West Asia Department (CWRD), Asian Development Bank (ADB)

09:40 –10:00

Group Photo and Coffee Break

10:20 – 10:50

Moderator: Nurlan Kulbatyrov, First Deputy Chief Executive Officer, QazTrade Center for Trade Policy Development (Joint-Stock Company), Ministry of Trade and Integration, Kazakhstan

The session will have 3 areas of discussion:
(i) Progress of CITA 2030 through the CAREC Trade Sector Report 2023-2024 and the RSAP, and issues to ensure relevance, effectiveness, and responsiveness of the CAREC trade work to CAREC member countries’ needs and priorities;
(ii) Highlights of recent trade activities including the CAREC Digital Trade Forum and other key trade-related events participated by CAREC countries;
(iii) Scope of the CAREC 2030 Strategy Midterm Review and impact on CAREC trade sector work.
Presenter: Dorothea Lazaro, Senior Regional Cooperation Specialist, CWRD, ADB

Opening Discussion

10:25 – 12:15

Moderator: Nurlan Kulbatyrov, First Deputy Chief Executive Officer, the QazTrade Center for Trade Policy Development (Joint-Stock Company), Ministry of Trade and Integration, Kazakhstan

The session will discuss countries’ views and perspectives on the (i) midterm review of CITA 2030 and CAREC strategy 2030; (ii) trade-related climate mitigation and adaptation measures as part of the operationalization of the CAREC Climate Vision; and the (iii) outcomes of the CAREC Digital Trade Forum.

Each country delegation will be invited to deliver interventions.

12:15 – 13:30

Lunch Break (Asakusa Restaurant, 2nd floor)

13:30 – 14:30

Moderator: Lyaziza Sabyrova, Regional Head, Regional Cooperation and
Integration, CWRD, ADB

Proposed CAREC Trade and Investment Facilitation (CARTIF)
Presenter: Zulfia Karimova, Principal Regional Cooperation Specialist,
Regional Cooperation and Integration, CWRD, ADB

Concept for Proposed Cross-border E-commerce Agreement/Arrangement
Presenter: Jin Jiankai, Director, Department of International Trade and
Economic Affairs, Ministry of Commerce

14:30 – 15:10

Moderator: Dorothea Lazaro, Senior Regional Cooperation Specialist, Regional Cooperation and Integration, CWRD, ADB

The Regional Action on Climate Change: A Vision for CAREC was endorsed at the 22nd CAREC Ministerial Conference. Pursuant to its mandate of greening CAREC trade, this session will examine how CAREC trade can be a means for mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change, and identify actions that may be undertaken under CITA 2030.

Presenters:
Jong Woo Kang, Director, Regional Cooperation and Integration Division, Economic Research and Development Impact Department, ADB
(Decarbonizing Global Value Chains, Greening International Trade and Investment)

Yann Duval, Chief of Trade Policy and Facilitation Section, UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
(Climate Action in the CAREC Region: Overview and way forward for climate-smart trade and investment)

15:10 – 15:25

Coffee Break

15:25 – 16:40

Moderator: Zulfia Karimova, Principal Regional Cooperation Specialist, Regional Cooperation and Integration, CWRD, ADB

Each development partner will be invited to present intervention on their programs or initiatives and how this support or align with CITA 2030, to make it more relevant and responsive to CAREC members’ needs or priorities, including to mainstream the climate change agenda.

Marc Lepage, Principal IT Specialist (Technology Innovation), Information Technology Department, ADB

Qasim Chaudry, Associate Programme Adviser, Trade Facilitation and Policy for Business, International Trade Center

Daniel Vertesy, Economist, ICT Data and Analytics Division, International Telecommunications Union (ITU)

Luca Castellani, Legal Officer, UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL)

Yann Duval, Chief of Trade Policy and Facilitation Section, UNESCAP

Sung Young Kang, General Manager of International Business and Cooperation, Korea Trade Network (KTNET)

Filip Stoyanovich, Chief of Party (Regional Director), USAID Future Growth Initiative

Mereke Taitubayev, Head, Subregional Office for Central Asia, World
Organization for Animal Health (WOAH)

16:40 – 16:50

The RTG will deliberate on the next steps, priorities, and proposals for the next TA for CAREC trade.

Presenter: Dorothea Lazaro, Senior Regional Cooperation Specialist, Regional Cooperation and Integration, CWRD, ADB

16:50 – 17:00

Kairat Balykbayev, Vice Minister, Ministry of Trade and Integration, Kazakhstan

Lyaziza Sabyrova, Regional Head, Regional Cooperation and Integration, CWRD, ADB

Supported under TA 9712: Implementing the Integrated Trade Agenda in the CAREC Program, co-funded by the Regional Cooperation and Integration Fund and the PRC Poverty Reduction and Regional Cooperation Fund (PRCF).

Session 1: Progress of the CAREC Integrated Trade Agenda (CITA) 2030’s Rolling Strategic Action Plan (RSAP) and CAREC 2030 Strategy Midterm Review (English, Russian)

Session 2: Around the Table

Pakistan’s Presentation (English, Russian)

Session 3: Proposals for Regional Trade-Related Agreements/ Arrangements

CAREC Trade & Investment Facilitation Partnership (CARTIF) (English, Russian)

Session 4: Greening CAREC Trade— Trade as a Climate Change Solution

Decarbonizing International Trade and Global Value Chains (English, Russian)
Climate Action in the CAREC Region: Overview and Way-forward for Climate-smart Trade and Investment (English, Russian)

Session 5: Development Partners Perspectives