ALMATY, Kazakhstan, June 25. The countries of Central Asia need to create simpler and more convenient cross-border interaction mechanisms to ensure sustainable growth, the General Secretary of the Permanent Secretariat of the TRACECA Intergovernmental Commission, Zhasurbek Choriev, said during the session "Seamless Eurasia: A Logistics Hub at the Crossroads of Continents", Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
"The Middle Corridor, or as it was called - the Silk Road, has always existed. It was a route for trade, an opportunity to enter new markets, the development of trade relations, and the creation of added value between countries. To the question why Central Asia is gaining special importance today, I would answer simply: because all the countries of the region are moving towards integration. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, almost all states closed their borders. The main attention was focused on issues of security, protection, and independent survival. Therefore, it took time for the countries of Central Asia to come to the understanding that there will be no sustainable growth without integration and the creation of simpler and more convenient cross-border opportunities," he said.
According to Choriyev, further development of the region will be based on joint efforts and regional cooperation.
"In the countries of Central Asia, significant indicators of GDP growth, population size, and the volume of investments entering the region are recorded. This creates additional value, contributes to the increase in the volume of goods, and requires the search for new markets.
For us, new markets are located in all directions — in the north, south, and west. We strive to access them with minimal costs and maximum efficiency. For this purpose, new transport corridors and opportunities must be created by governments within the framework of regional cooperation, as well as with the active participation of development banks and international financial institutions," he noted.
