The Caspian pearl – the Avaza National Tourist Zone is widely known as an impressive venue for the international business meetings and different forums, including in the sporting events. As is known, the School Cultural and Sports Festival of the Caspian states, where the children from Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia took part in along with the Turkmen peers, was held on the Caspian Sea shore last summer. Creative actions, interesting and informative cultural events were included the programme of the Festival besides the competitions in several sports. It was a vivid and unforgettable event for the youth from the Caspian states and contributed to strengthening of friendship and brotherhood, fruitful humanitarian ties between the peoples of the region.
The I Caspian Economic Forum, opening in Avaza on August 12, will promote development of multilateral partnership between the Caspian states – trade and economic, transit and transport, energy, humanitarian and other spheres, their closer regional cooperation and integration into the global economic relations. The Forum is a result of consistent implementation of the initiative put forward by the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, who offered to prepare two new agreements – Agreement on Transport and Trade and Economic Cooperation on the Caspian Sea and Agreement on the Caspian Economic Forum, at the IV Summit of the Caspian States in Astrakhan (the Russian Federation) in 2014. In the speech at the V Summit of the Caspian States in Aktau (Kazakhstan), on August 12, 2018, the Turkmen leader emphasized that the I Caspian Economic Forum will confirm readiness of the Caspian states to consolidate efforts in the conditions when the Caspian Sea acquires greater strategic importance in regional and interregional geopolitical and geoeconomic processes. The offer on holding the I Caspian Economic Forum in Turkmenistan, 2019, was reflected in the pentalateral intergovernmental Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation signed along with the Convention for the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea and the Communiqué after the historical meeting of Presidents of the Caspian states a year ago.
Being the initiator and the host country of the I Caspian Economic Forum, Turkmenistan honours the commitment to wide international cooperation policy, transformation of the Caspian Sea into a symbol of peace, security and sustainable development in practice. It is deeply symbolical that the Forum will be held on August 12, which is celebrated in the region as the Caspian Sea Day. The Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea (Teheran Convention) became effective on August 12, 2006.
Conditions for implementation of large projects, role of the Caspian region in global economy, investment prospects in oil and gas, electrical power, transport, trade, agricultural and industrial, tourist and other mutually beneficial spheres of the Caspian states’ economies will be on the agenda of the Forum. Delegations of the interested states, which are located close to the Caspian region, are invited to the Forum, as well as heads and representatives of the international economic, financial, transport, ecological and other organizations. The mass media from the Caspian states, China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, France, Turkey, Great Britain, Malaysia, Austria, Pakistan, the Czech Republic, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and other states will cover the event.
The meeting of ministers of competent authorities of the Sides responsible for implementation of the Agreement between the Governments of the Caspian states on Trade and Economic Cooperation and Agreement between the Governments of the Caspian states on Transport Cooperation will take place a day before the Forum, on August 11, 2019. Issues of practical implementation of the above-mentioned Agreements will be on the agenda. The meeting of representatives of business communities and preparation of the Memorandum of understanding on Business Council of the Caspian states are planned at the same time with the meeting of ministers of competent authorities of the Sides.
Turkmenistan contributes to close international cooperation in the transport and communication sector – the most important segment of world economy. Having expanded the networks of motor ways and railways, air and sea routes and having built cross-border transport corridors, our country promoted strengthening of peace and stable economic development in the region. Experts expect that the I Caspian Economic Forum will give a powerful impetus to transformation of the Caspian Sea into a large transport and transit hub of the international value with an important role in formation of new geoeconomic area in Eurasia in view of modern global trends.
Within the Forum, the International Caspian Exhibition of Innovative Technologies and the Turkmen Sahra – 2019 motor show will be held. About 50 different foreign companies from all corners of the world confirmed their participation in the Exhibition of Innovative Technologies. The motor show will be held in our country for the first time and will showcase innovative achievements of the motor industry, the latest models of passenger and cargo vehicles of the well-known global manufacturers, special technical means and materials for their repair and service. It will include novelties of the world motor market; will create opportunities for exchange of experience and business cooperation between representatives of different countries. The motor show will provoke particular interest and contribute to development of motor sport, which is extremely popular in Turkmenistan thanks to support and personal example of the Turkmen leader. According to the mass media, even being on holiday, the President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov found time to improve the skills in motor sport in the night time. The Amul – Hazar international rally, held at the initiative of the Turkmen leader last year, had a great success.
The I Caspian Economic Forum is a large international event of great importance for the region and the outside of the region. Turkmenistan has carried out thorough and comprehensive preparation to the Forum, which will enhance the international prestige of our country and will contribute to strengthening of effective cooperation at the regional and global level.
(Newspaper «Türkmen sporty»: 10.08.2019)
