The 8th Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and Azerbaijan was held at the Avaza Complex on Thursday, October 8. Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov, who attended the meeting, presented concrete proposals in industry, e-commerce and transport to strengthen regional economic connectivity.
Call to establish joint trade infrastructure
Japarov called for the identification of mutually beneficial projects in agricultural processing, light industry, construction materials production and logistics. He said the participants, funding sources and implementation timetable for these projects should be set out clearly.
The Kyrgyz president also proposed establishing a joint e-commerce platform for Central Asia and Azerbaijan. He said such a platform would expand businesses’ and consumers’ access to regional products and create new opportunities to promote them.
Japarov said logistics infrastructure covering delivery, storage, customs procedures and product tracking needed to be developed to support the growth of e-commerce. He noted that experts from Kyrgyzstan’s High Technologies Park could contribute their expertise to implementing the initiative.
China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway
Emphasizing that regional economic cooperation depends on reliable transport links, shipping costs and predictable transit conditions, Japarov attached particular importance to the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway.
Japarov said the project would create new opportunities to integrate the countries of the region into international transport and production networks, adding that measurable goals should include lowering delivery costs and shortening travel times. He also said every country should participate fully in regional transport projects and derive economic benefits from them.
Environment and a joint tourism route
Japarov said the long-term sustainable development of the countries in the region is closely linked to protecting glaciers and mountain ecosystems. He stressed that conserving natural resources, using them rationally and implementing innovative solutions are necessary for future generations.
Japarov said establishing a common tourism area would support closer ties between the peoples of the region, adding that historic cities, mountain and Caspian coastal routes, and the region’s rich cultural heritage could be promoted as a shared travel destination for Central Asia and Azerbaijan.
The Kyrgyz president proposed developing tourism cooperation according to the principle of “one trip, several countries.” Japarov said Kyrgyzstan would continue contributing to mutually beneficial cooperation aimed at strengthening good-neighborly relations and improving the welfare of the peoples of the region.
