Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev participated in the 8th Consultative Meeting of the Heads of State of Central Asia and Azerbaijan during his working visit to Turkmenistan. President Tokayev outlined Kazakhstan’s vision for further regional cooperation, highlighting progress in trade and economic ties. He noted that the number of joint ventures is growing, business contacts are strengthening, and projects are being implemented in priority sectors.
«The potential of our domestic market remains far from being fully realized. Last year, intraregional trade amounted to approximately $13 billion, accounting for around 8% of our countries’ total trade turnover. I therefore propose tasking the governments with developing and adopting a Joint Action Plan aimed at increasing this figure to at least $20 billion, with a consistent increase in the share of mutual trade,» Tokayev said.
The President highlighted the prospects for developing trade and logistics hubs and industrial cooperation centres in border areas across the region. He noted that Kazakhstan is steadily expanding its transport infrastructure, creating new opportunities to strengthen regional connectivity. According to World Bank estimates, freight traffic across the Caspian Sea could quadruple by 2040 if all planned infrastructure projects are implemented. President Tokayev also addressed water-related issues, describing them as one of the key challenges to stability in Central Asia. He stressed the need to develop new approaches to the joint use of water resources.
«The adoption of a Central Asian Framework Convention on Water Use could serve as a starting point for shaping a new regional architecture of cooperation. This draft document is already under consideration by all parties. The initiative to establish an International Water Organization under the auspices of the United Nations is also highly relevant. This proposal could be given an international, and in particular Central Asian, dimension. Joint efforts to promote it would constitute our common contribution to the development of a global system for water resource management,» Tokayev added.
The President emphasised the importance of cooperation in AI and proposed considering the development of a Central Asian Partnership Program on Artificial Intelligence. He also noted that creating a common information space would help strengthen cultural and humanitarian ties. Kazakhstan put forward an initiative to establish a regional television channel based on Silk Way TV and to hold a volunteer forum next year. In conclusion, the President addressed the further improvement of the Consultative Meeting format. A Joint Statement was adopted following the meeting.
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