DUSHANBE, September 23, 2014, Asia-Plus – Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Aslov on September 20 participated at the Ministerial Preparatory Meeting of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) that took place in New York on the sidelines of the 69th session of the UN General Assembly, according to the Tajik MFA information department.
Speaking at the meeting, Tajik minister, in particular, noted that the ACD has a good potential for expansion of cooperation on sustainable development, poverty alleviation and development of human capacity.
Aslov stressed that those goals can be achieved only through expansion of regional cooperation in sectors like investment, trade, tourism, management and rational use of natural resources, as well as exchange of technologies and information, the Tajik MFA information department said.
The Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) is an intergovernmental organization created on June 18, 2002 to promote Asian cooperation at a continental level and to help integrate separate regional organizations such as ASEAN, SAARC and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Founded by 18 members, the ACD now consists of 33 member states.
The main objectives of the ACD are to: promote interdependence among Asian countries in all areas of cooperation by identifying Asia”s common strengths and opportunities which will help reduce poverty and improve the quality of life for Asian people whilst developing a knowledge-based society within Asia and enhancing community and people empowerment; expand the trade and financial market within Asia and increase the bargaining power of Asian countries in lieu of competition and, in turn, enhance Asia”s economic competitiveness in the global market; serve as the missing link in Asian cooperation by building upon Asia”s potentials and strengths through supplementing and complementing existing cooperative frameworks so as to become a viable partner for other regions; and ultimately transform the Asian continent into an Asian Community, capable of interacting with the rest of the world on a more equal footing and contributing more positively towards mutual peace and prosperity.
