24th CAREC Ministerial Conference

24th CAREC Ministerial Conference

Green and Digital CAREC

20 November 2025
Grand Ballroom, Sheraton Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic

08:45–08:55

24th CAREC Ministerial Conference Video Presentation

09:00–09:03	Introduction Mr. Bakyt Sydykov, Minister, Ministry of Economy and Commerce, Kyrgyz Republic
09:03–09:10	Welcome Address Mr. Adylbek Kasymaliev Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic – Head of the Presidential Administration of the Kyrgyz Republic
09:10–09:17	Keynote Address Mr. Masato Kanda Present Asian Developmebt Bank (ADB)
09:17–09:30	Setting the Stage: CAREC Program – Progress and Impact Ms. Lyaziza Sabyrova, Regional Head, Regional Cooperation and Integration, Central and West Asia Department (CWRD), ADB

09:30–09:55

Documents to be signed:

i. Bishkek Ministerial Declaration on the Launch of Negotiations for the CAREC Trade and Investment Facilitation (CARTIF) Partnership Agreement

ii. Loan Agreement: Almaty–Bishkek Economic Corridor Regional Improvement of Border Services Project

Group Photo

09:55–10:05

Coffee Break

10:05–11:20

Moderator: Mr. Yingming Yang, Vice President (South, Central and West Asia), ADB

Country Statements
All CAREC Ministers / Heads of Delegations (5 min per country)

Moderator: Mr. Hiroaki Yamaguchi, Senior Director, Sectors Department 1, ADB

11:20–11:50

Transport and Economic Corridor Development
Midterm Review of CAREC Transport Strategy 2030 and CAREC Corridor 2 Strategic Projects (10 min)
Presenter: Mr. Masahiro Nishimura, Principal Transport Specialist, Transport Sector Office, Sectors Department 1, ADB

Key Initiative: Border Upgrades for Integration, Logistics, and Development (BUILD) Facility (5 min)
Presenter: Mr. Ari J. Kalliokoski, Principal Transport Specialist, Transport Sector Office, Sectors Department 1, ADB

Energy
Key Initiative: Caspian Green Energy Corridor (3 min)
Presenter: Ms. Altynay Arapova, Senior Regional Cooperation Specialist, CWRD, ADB

Reactions/Interventions from CAREC Ministers (15 min)

Moderator: Mr. Azamat Zhamangulov, Minister of Digital Development and Innovative Technologies of the Kyrgyz Republic

11:50–13:00

Digital Connectivity
Midterm Review of the CAREC Digital Strategy 2030 (5 min)
Presenter: Mr. Khalid Umar, Regional Cooperation Specialist, CWRD, ADB

Key Initiative: Developing CAREC Digital Corridor (5 min)
Presenter: Mr. Antonio Zaballos, Director, Digital Sector Office, Sectors Department 2, ADB

Trade
Midterm Review of the CAREC Integrated Trade Agenda 2030 and CAREC Partnership for Trade, Climate and Innovation (7 min)
Presenter: Ms. Dorothea Lazaro, Senior Regional Cooperation Specialist, CWRD, ADB

Key Initiative: CARTIF Partnership (3 min)
Presenter: Ms. Zulfia Karimova, Principal Regional Cooperation Specialist, CWRD, ADB

Reactions/Interventions from CAREC Ministers (20 min)

Launch or Signing Ceremonies (15 min)
i. MoU on Implementing the Testing Phase of the Expanded CAREC Advanced Transit System and Information Common Exchange (CATS/ICE)
ii. CAREC Digital Corridor
iii. MoU on CAREC Innovation and Venture Investment Catalyst (CIVIC) Facility
iv. MoU on CAREC Pilot Project on Electronic Exchange and Mutual Recognition of Conformity Certificates

13:00–14:00

Lunch (Venue: Legend, 5th floor)

Moderator: Ms. Leah Gutierrez, Director General, Central and West Asia Department, ADB

14:00–14:30

Green Skills
Key Initiative: CAREC Agricultural Universities’ Accelerator Program (5 min)
Presenter: Ms. Zulfia Karimova, Principal Regional Cooperation Specialist, CWRD, ADB

Health-Climate Nexus
Regional Decarbonization Strategy for Health and Regionally–Agreed Minimum Requirements for Climate-Resilient Health Facilities (5 min)
Presenter: Ms. Kirthi Ramesh, Senior Social Sector Specialist, Human and Social Development Office, Sectors Department 3, ADB

Reactions/Interventions from CAREC Ministers (10 min)

Signing Ceremony (15 min)
i. MoU on the Kyrgyz Republic–Uzbekistan Cross-Border Sustainable Tourism Cluster Development
ii. MoU on CAREC Regional Tourism Development

Moderator: Mr. Muhammad Ehsan Khan, Director General, East Asia Department, ADB

14:30–15:00

CAREC Climate and Sustainability Project Preparatory Fund (CSPPF)
Presenter: Ms. Altynay Arapova, Senior Regional Cooperation Specialist, CWRD, ADB

Risk-Layered Disaster Relief Finance Sector Development Program for the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan
Video Presentation (3 min)

Glaciers to Farms Regional Program (5 min)
Presenter: Ms. Kathleen Anne C. Coballes, Climate Change Specialist, Climate Change and Sustainable Development (CCSD), ADB (Virtual)

Reactions/Interventions from CAREC Ministers (15 min)

15:00–15:15

Coffee Break

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

15:15–16:00

Presentation
Economic Integration and Long-Term Growth in the Caucasus and Central Asia
Presenter: Mr. Subir Lall, Deputy Director, Middle East and Central Asia Department, International Monetary Fund (10 min)

Knowledge-Sharing on recent ADB Studies on CAREC Countries
Presenters:
Mr. Kiyoshi Taniguchi, Regional Lead Economist, CWRD, ADB (10 min)
Mr. Roman Mogilevskii, Senior Regional Cooperation Economist, CWRD, ADB (10 min)
Mr. Virender Kumar Duggal, Unit Head, Carbon Markets, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, ADB (Virtual) (10 min)

Open Discussion (15 min)

	Moderator: Mr. Bakyt Sydykov, Minister, Ministry of Economy and Commerce, Kyrgyz Republic
6:00–16:30	Intervention by High-Level Heads of Delegations of Development Partners (15 min)