A two-day annual Central Asia trade forum is concluding in the Kazakh city of Almaty today.
Sponsored by the United States, the Seventh Annual Central Asia Trade Forum reportedly has brought together more than 500 government and business leaders from 18 countries in Central Asia, South Asia, and Europe.
This year, the two-day event focuses on the theme of Future Growth: Trade, Transport & Horticulture. Attendees are discussing how enterprises throughout Central Asia can better compete in the global economy and provide jobs for the region’s growing workforce.
Tajikistan is represented at the forum by senior representatives from agrarian, transportation and logistics sectors.
Representative of the Tajik Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, Tavakkal Malikov, delivered a statement at the forum yesterday. He, in particular, noted that despite the existing difficulties Tajikistan is expanding trade with the countries of the region and interested in expansion of the bilateral trade with Uzbekistan “because Tajikistan’s transit scopes in many respects depend on the neighboring country’s railway infrastructure.”
This year’s forum has practical goals: to increase exports of fruits and vegetables from Central Asian countries and to overcome the transportation and logistics challenges that impede trade within the region and hinder economic growth. A concurrent trade exhibition highlights technology, equipment, and service providers who have the capacity to lower production and transport costs in the region.
One unique aspect of the forum is that, in addition to the opportunities for public-private dialogue on important regional and international trade policies and trends, event organizers are also providing practical training sessions on quality and food safety standards.
The United States is the primary sponsor of the forum through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Competitiveness, Trade, and Jobs Activity in Central Asia. This project organizes trainings and supports public and private sector collaboration across Central Asia to facilitate exports and create jobs in the agriculture, transport, and logistics services.
Other partners supporting the Forum include the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan; the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) Trade Facilitation in Central Asia Program; the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; Crown Agents; GLOBALG.A.P.; Cert Academy; the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA); KAZLOGISTICS; and the Global Cold Chain Alliance.
