Leaders discuss issues related to energy, cooperation
Observer Report
Awaza
A grand event took place in the National Tourist Zone “Awaza”–the First Caspian Economic Forum. Large number of guests from around the world arrived to participate in the Forum, including the high-level guests of the Caspian littoral and other states, representatives of international organizations, scientists, heads of leading world companies and international press.
The official opening of the Forum started with the International Conference “Caspian Sea: Benefits of developing the international economic cooperation,” during which the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov made an opening speech. Congratulating the guests with the opening of the event, the Head of State noted the significance of the Caspian Sea from the perspective of international economic and social development. Also, the initiative on the establishment of new Caspian Ecological Programme aimed at the preservation and rational use of the natural resources of the Caspian Sea was voiced.
It was also noted that the perfection of cooperation on the Caspian Sea including its ecological conservation, pleasantly affects the social growth, stability and economic integration. All of this cohesively matches with the national programmes of Turkmenistan and international activities aimed at the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in the framework of the Agenda 2030.
The representatives of the governments of the “Caspian Five,” Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Novruz Mammadov, First Vice-President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Eshaq Jahangiri, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin and the Head of the Government of the Russian Federation Dmitriy Medvedev took part in the opening ceremony. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria Boyko Borissov also participated to the Forum.
It is vital to note that during the day, a plenary session was held, as well as the thematic sessions on the key issues of regional and world agenda, including the development of trade-economic cooperation on the Caspian Sea, modernization of multi-model transport corridors, “green economy,” etc.
According to the conceptual vision of the organizers, the Agenda of the First Caspian Economic Forum will encompass wide range of issues which will further form the base for prospective directions of cooperation of states participants. It is planned that during the exchange of views and constructive negotiations actual subjects concerning the intensification of trade and economic relations including creation of conditions for development and implementation of large projects will be proposed. It is awaited that there will be interesting discussions on the role of economy of the Caspian region in global context, including the increase of growth factors for investment motivation in the spheres of industry, energy, trade, tourism and other sectors of economies of Caspian states posing mutual interest.
The platform of the First Caspian Economic Forum will provide for practical exchange of views on implementation of the Intergovernmental Agreement between the Caspian states on trade and economic cooperation and Intergovernmental Agreement between the Caspian states on cooperation in the transport sphere. As is known, these multilateral documents were signed on the 12th of August 2018 as a result of the V Summit of the Heads of the Caspian states.
In the Coordination center on preparation and conducting the First Caspian Economic Forum, along with the main events, programs of the International Conference and Caspian Exhibition of Innovative Technologies are being designed. Alongside, forming of favorable conditions for fruitful meetings and negotiations in the sidelines of the Forum between the government representatives, as well as business circles and companies are projected.
Delegations of the Caspian states, including heads and members of governments, heads of seaside regions and heads of regional executive management agencies, representatives of the banking sector and business circles of the Caspian region as well as stakeholder countries, scientific workers, and company managers realizing activities in the Caspian Sea are invited to participate to the Forum. Delegations of other stakeholder parties, firstly the states in close proximity to the Caspian region as well as representatives of international economic and financial organizations are also invited to the Forum.
The upcoming event is aimed to give strong prudent impulse to the economic, trade and investment cooperation on the Caspian Sea and nearby regions, transforming the Caspian region into one of the largest transport and transit bonds of international scope playing vital role in forming new geo-economic space in Eurasia which is able to meet the modern global tendencies.
