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ADB and Uzbekistan Discuss Action Plan for Regional Cooperation in Central Asia

TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN (15 June 2006) - Uzbekistan Government officials and ADB representatives today discussed in a workshop a draft Comprehensive Action Plan (CAP) to deepen regional cooperation in Central Asia.

ADB and Uzbekistan Discuss Action Plan for Regional Cooperation in Central Asia

TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN (15 June 2006) - Uzbekistan Government officials and ADB representatives today discussed in a workshop a draft Comprehensive Action Plan (CAP) to deepen regional cooperation in Central Asia.

The workshop is the first of a series in the Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program member-countries aimed at gaining guidance from the governments of participating countries on the goals, objectives, expected outputs, priority investments and initiatives, and performance indicators that should serve as a medium-term framework for CAREC.

"Only through coordinated actions and shared vision for the region can Central Asia again become a strategic crossroad, linking People's Republic of China (PRC), Russia , Europe , India , and the Middle East ," says Donneth Walton, Officer in Charge of ADB's Uzbekistan Resident Mission, who chaired the workshop.

The workshop was co-chaired by Mr. M. Askarov, Acting Head of the United Information-Analytical Department on Economy and Foreign Economic Relations of the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan, and Mr. D. Husband, Senior Advisor of the CAREC Program. Senior officials from the ministries of finance, economy, foreign economic relations, investments and trade, State Customs Committee, state energy company Uzbekenergo, oil and gas company Uzbekneftegaz, and representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry participated in the workshop.

The participants noted the importance of finalizing the CAP, which is expected to be approved at the 5th Ministerial Conference on CAREC in October 2006 in Urumqi , Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, PRC. It will be a strategic framework, upon which the priorities for regional cooperation and the proper sequencing of initiatives will be decided.

The participants also reviewed the current status of the CAREC Program and discussed the regional cooperation goals and objectives of the Government of Uzbekistan and key expected outputs from regional cooperation in the priority sectors. They also discussed issues related to private sector involvement, improved access to the regional and world markets, and possible inclusion of new sectors in the CAREC Program, including tourism, human development, agriculture, and environment.

The workshop follows the Fourth Ministerial Conference of CAREC, which took place on 5-6 November 2005 in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic , and the Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) in Urumqi , on 10-11 April 2006.

The CAREC Program is an alliance comprising eight countries- Afghanistan , Azerbaijan , PRC, Kazakhstan , Kyrgyz Republic , Mongolia , Tajikistan , and Uzbekistan -and six multilateral institutions (MIs): ADB, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, International Monetary Fund, Islamic Development Bank, United Nations Development Programme and World Bank.

CAREC aims to promote economic growth and raise living standards by encouraging regional economic cooperation. The Program has concentrated on financing infrastructure projects and improving the region's policy environment in the priority areas of transport, energy, trade policy and trade facilitation. The combined assistance of the MIs for these sectors is expected to exceed $1.45 billion during 2006-2008.

Uzbekistan joined ADB in 1995. Cumulative lending to the country now stands at $914.7 million for 19 loans. ADB has also approved grants to Uzbekistan totaling $32 million.

ADB, based in Manila , is dedicated to reducing poverty in the Asia and Pacific region through pro-poor sustainable economic growth, social development, and good governance. Established in 1966, it is owned by 65 members - 47 from the region. In 2005, it approved loans and grants for projects totaling $6.95 billion, and technical assistance amounting to $198.8 million.