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GUAM intends to give impetus to economic co-op

Business Materials 21 September 2016 16:01 (UTC +04:00)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 21

By Seba Aghayeva – Trend:

Organization for Democracy and Economic Development - GUAM intends to give impetus to economic cooperation, particularly in such areas as energy, transport, trade, tourism, etc., the organization’s Secretary General Altay Efendiyev told Trend Sept. 21.

It is planned to hold a meeting of heads of governments of the organization’s member countries in the coming months in order to activate economic cooperation in the GUAM, Efendiyev said.

“We intend to put efforts and contribute to further consolidation of GUAM countries' interests, broaden and deepen their cooperation in the economic sphere, as well as in the development of international cooperation,” he said.

The Development Concept for the GUAM Transport Corridor adopted in 2013 at the initiative of the organization created a good basis for development of cooperation in the field of transport.

The concept has become especially topical in connection with the development of the Silk Road transport route, which will significantly reduce delivery time of goods from China to Europe.

The organization also intends to expand cooperation with the UN structures.

“GUAM is already establishing cooperation with other international organizations as well, the concrete work with individual UN structures is underway, in particular with the International Maritime Organization, the Economic Commission for Europe, the World Tourism Organization,” the diplomat said.

GUAM also plans to cooperate with the UN Alliance of Civilizations, he added.

GUAM submitted a draft resolution to the UN on "Cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development - GUAM". The draft resolution was prepared by Azerbaijan, chairing the GUAM.

Efendiyev said that the document confirms the interest of both sides in the development of cooperation and recognizes GUAM, as a regional organization and partner.

“The document is an evident signal to other organizations and structures of the UN to expand cooperation with GUAM,” he said.

GUAM member-states' cooperation has been developing in the UN since 1998.

GUAM obtained an observer status in the UN General Assembly in late 2003. As a result, new opportunities were created to develop cooperation between GUAM and the UN and strengthen cooperation among the GUAM member-states in the UN.

The GUAM format was created by post-Soviet states in 1997 during the summit of heads of states of the European Union in Strasbourg. In 1999, Uzbekistan joined the format and four years later withdrew. In 2006, Ukraine and Azerbaijan announced plans to further increase the GUAM member relations by renaming the organization GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development and establishing its headquarters in the Ukrainian capital.

Azerbaijan assumed the chairmanship in GUAM since January 1, 2016.

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