Chaired by Russian Deputy Prime Denis Manturov, who is also Minister of Industry and Trade of Russia and Chairman of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Interstate Commission for Military-Economic Cooperation (ICMEC), the 21st meeting of the ICMEC took place in Dushanbe on April 27, according to the CSTO Secretariat.
The CSTO Secretary-General Imangali Tasmagambetov participated in the meeting.
Speaking at the meeting, Manturov reportedly noted that the current difficult period of geopolitical instability makes the task of intensively building the defense capabilities of the CSTO member states even more urgent.
“One of the main tools for achieving this goal is the development of scientific and industrial cooperation for the production of military products, their modernization and repair,” said ICMEC chairman. “We have been working in this direction for many years, but opportunities for partnership have not been fully realized. Today we have discussed in detail a set of proposals for further integration of our defense enterprises. Here it is important to take into account national interests and not to break the balances that have already been established in terms of task distribution and specialization.”
He also highlighted the importance of strengthening the focus on the standardization of armaments and military equipment within the CSTO”.
The meeting participants reportedly considered the results of the activities of the Commission on the implementation of the decisions of the 20th ICMEC meeting held in Moscow last October, as well as the implementation of the decisions of the Organization's bodies on the development of military and economic cooperation among the Organization's member states.
During the exchange of views, the Commission adopted a number of important decisions on the further development of military and economic cooperation in the CSTO format.
The Commission adopted a decision to hold to the CSTO congress and exhibition event in 2024 in Russia.
The Commission also approved its Work Plan for 2024 and took a number of decisions on organizational issues of its activities.
During the previous two days, a meeting of the Working Group on Military-Economic Cooperation under the Chairman of the CSTO ICMEC took place and meetings of the Coordinating Council on Standardization of Armaments and Military Equipment under the CSTO ICMEC and the Coordinating Council under the CSTO ICMEC on mutual protection of rights to the results of intellectual activities produced and used during military-economic cooperation within the CSTO were held. The participants of the meetings reportedly discussed and agreed upon the prepared documents on the areas of their activities.
The next 22nd meeting of the CSTO Interstate Commission for Military-Economic Cooperation is expected to place in Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bishkek, in September or October next year.
Created in 1992, the Collective Security Treaty Organization is a Russia-led military alliance grouping the six former Soviet republics of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.
The CSTO Interstate Commission on Military-Economic Cooperation was established by the decision of the CSTO Collective Security Council of June 23, 2005.
The Commission's tasks include formulating recommendations and adopting decisions within its competence to ensure multilateral military-economic (technical) cooperation in priority areas of cooperation within the CSTO format. These include the development and implementation of long-term programs for military-economic cooperation; development of cooperation in the production of military products; creation of joint ventures for the development, production, modernization, repair and disposal of military products; and joint research and development work on the development and modernization of military products, among others.
