Dear heads of state, heads of delegations! Ladies and Gentlemen!
First of all, allow me to thank His Excellency the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Miromonovich Mirziyoyev for organizing the 16th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization at a high level, for the warm hospitality and respect shown.
Today’s summit is taking place at a time when we are directly confronted with serious geopolitical challenges that have a direct impact on the development and trends of the global economy. At the same time, these challenges, despite their complex nature, open up new perspectives. In our opinion, issues such as the constructive and effective use of these opportunities, the use of all the favorable advantages of the Economic Cooperation Organization in the conditions of modern geo-economic transformations, should become the key task of the Organization in the near future. I believe that all the necessary conditions exist for this.
From this point of view, the 15th ECO Summit, held in Ashgabat on November 28, 2021, became an important event. This summit meeting was full of significant initiatives and events and gave new impetus to our joint activities. The “Ashgabat Consensus for Action” adopted there, being the main document, incorporated all the key areas of cooperation, in particular, trade, transport, communications, energy, industry and economic development, as well as issues such as social security, environment, climate change and others.
Taking this opportunity, I would like to express my deep gratitude to the heads of all ECO states for their active participation in the work of the Ashgabat Summit and their valuable contribution to its successful conduct.
At the same time, I would like to thank the ECO Secretariat for taking effective measures to fulfill the goals and objectives arising from the Ashgabat Consensus for Action document.
Dear meeting participants!
Based on the documents, decisions and agreements adopted at the 15th Summit, we need to identify urgent areas of interaction, analyze important issues and begin their practical implementation.
In accordance with the position of Turkmenistan, I consider it appropriate to dwell on some key aspects that are currently of particular importance.
First of all, I would like to say about the development of mutually beneficial cooperation in the trade, economic and investment spheres, which are currently among the main directions of our relations.
In 2021, during its chairmanship of the Economic Cooperation Organization, Turkmenistan proposed to begin creating economic corridors in the ECO region. We see them as a system of sustainable main routes for the promotion of goods, services and funds. To do this, it is necessary to establish and develop on an integrated basis a partnership between leading industrial firms, investment companies and banks of our countries. This work must be carried out through the widespread introduction of advanced technologies. In this regard, we propose to develop an ECO Framework Agreement on digital technologies and e-commerce.
In order to increase trade turnover between ECO countries, cross-border and regional trade opportunities should be actively used. In this context, there is valuable experience, centuries-old traditions and customs of our peoples that require revival, use and enrichment, taking into account the realities of our time. To do this, it is necessary to create a favorable transboundary environment and stimulate regional cooperation, which represents a system of contractual advantages and priorities.
We attach great importance to intensifying business relations through small and medium-sized businesses, the production of certain types of industrial goods, agricultural products, establishing cooperation in the service sector and other areas.
We propose to consider the idea to create an “Information Portal” that includes specific information, ideas, business projects and other necessary information for greater awareness of the potential and intentions of countries in terms of expanding multilateral cooperation.
Dear meeting participants!
It is obvious that our economic partnership will develop successfully and become truly effective if there are modern transport and communication networks that include absolutely the entire ECO space. The importance of Eurasian transport corridors as a driving force for the prosperity of the entire continent is clearly confirmed and increased. Our Organization has a key place in this work.
And therefore, we perceive the construction of roads, bridges, hubs, warehouses, terminals and other important infrastructure structures as one of the main areas of cooperation. From a practical point of view, we propose to consider the issue of creating Joint transport and logistics centers with the participation of relevant government bodies and private companies.
In general, today, in many respects, consistency and mutual complementarity of the work of our transport institutions is required. Here I would like to note the importance of the Secretariat’s coordination activities within the framework of the implementation of the Program for the development of transport and communication systems of the ECO.
Turkmenistan pays special attention to the creation of interregional transport and transit corridors with the ECO countries.
We also believe that one of the priority areas for discussion in the future is the issue of establishing multimodal cargo transportation from China through Central Asia with access to the ports of the Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf and the Black Sea.
We emphasize the importance for our Organization of implementing targeted and coordinated transport diplomacy in the international arena, active interaction with the UN Economic Commission for Europe, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, and international and regional transport organizations.
Another important area is energy.
The fact that world energy markets are in a globally unstable state dictates that one of the main tasks of the ECO is the development of an appropriate effective model of cooperation. This is primarily necessary to meet the growing energy needs of our countries in order to increase the capacity of new industrial complexes and agriculture, build infrastructure facilities and launch joint production projects.
As is known, Turkmenistan has put forward a number of large energy projects, in which some ECO countries also participate. We invite our partner countries to expand joint cooperation in the energy sector with the aim of creating an energy supply system that includes the ECO space. For my part, I can say that Turkmenistan is ready to increase the volume of supplies of natural gas and electricity to the ECO countries through the currently available capacities and through those that will be built in the future.
Dear meeting participants!
During today’s meeting, a number of issues important for our countries will be discussed, the solution of which will help identify promising areas of interaction, develop specific plans and mechanisms for their implementation.
In the current difficult period of global development, Turkmenistan is firmly convinced that the heads of our countries will demonstrate wisdom and foresight in the name of common interests, strengthening mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation inherent in our fraternal peoples.
In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that the ECO Secretariat is entrusted with a high responsible mission and is assigned an important role in the practical implementation of the priority areas of our cooperation.
I wish the Secretary General of the organization, Mr. Khusraw Noziri, and all the staff of the Secretariat success in this field and express my gratitude for their contribution to the success of the meeting. /// nCa, 10 November 2023
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