BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec. 7
By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:
As the world emerges from the pandemic, regional cooperation must reconsider efforts with a spirit of open regionalism to enable CAREC countries to seize the opportunities of renewed globalization, said ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa, Trend reports citing the ADB.
Asakawa made the statement during a virtual event, under the theme "People-Centered Regional Cooperation in the Post-COVID Environment,"
ADB is the secretariat of the CAREC Program. The 11 members of CAREC are Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, China, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
In Asakawa’s words, this means expanding connectivity, rejuvenating trade, and embracing innovation and technology in ways that put the people of the CAREC region at its center.
“There is huge potential for adopting technologies that improve the monitoring of cross-border health threats, enable the use of telemedicine and online education, and raise food safety standards—while the private sector can play a crucial role as a driver of innovation,” he said
During the event, CAREC ministers unanimously endorsed two new long-term strategies: a tourism strategy to develop safe and sustainable tourism destinations and provide jobs in CAREC countries; and a gender strategy to improve access to economic opportunities for women and empower them in decision-making processes.
In a joint statement, the ministers commended CAREC’s efforts to address the challenges posed by the pandemic and reaffirmed their commitment to regional cooperation and support for CAREC’s Strategy 2030.
The ministers noted substantial progress in CAREC’s five priority areas, welcomed the forthcoming digital strategy to integrate information and communication technology into each priority area and highlighted the continued financial and technical support of development partners.
Investments in the CAREC region in 2020 have further strengthened regional connectivity, including a new project to expand energy trade between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan and provide 500,000 households and businesses with reliable access to electricity.
The program also completed a study on regional health cooperation, identifying opportunities to mitigate the spread of diseases and improve health services for migrants and border communities.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.
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