Wednesday, November 15, 2017’
Kabul (BNA) The Seventh Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA VII), which was organized by Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in collaboration with Turkmen Foreign Ministry and other prominent regional and international organizations, was held under the slogan “Deepening Connectivity and Expanding Trade through Investment Infrastructure and Improving Synergy.”
The two-day (RECCA VII) ministerial meeting held in Ashgabat, capital city of Turkmenistan is attended by senior officials from nearly 40 countries and international organizations and it is determined that various economic cooperation issues relevant to Afghanistan and the region will be discussed. Sarwar Danesh, Second Vice President and Salahuddin Rabbani, Minister of Foreign Affairs are participating the meeting.
In sideline of the meeting, second vice president Sarwar Danesh will meet Turkmen minister of foreign affairs and other representatives of other regional and world countries. The first day of the conference will see two panels, one on empowering women entrepreneurs towards access to regional and international markets, and another one on “access to markets, requirements and challenges”, while the second day will be devoted to working group sessions.
According to a spokesperson to ministry of foreign affairs Shekib Mustaghni, the conference is creating economic cooperation opportunities for Afghanistan. This year, three very important projects will be introduced in framework of RECCA VIII in Ashgabat as empowerment of women in economic section through regional economic cooperation, creating RECCA chamber of commerce and industries and creating a research and assessment center in framework of RECCA.
“RECCA has now turned into a leading regional cooperation framework aimed at promoting cross-border economic cooperation through a list of prioritized regional economic cooperation and investment projects that are capable of contributing to economic growth, job creating, income generation and confident building in the wider Central, South and Southwest Asia and beyond.
According to Afghan economic experts, Afghanistan government has been able to make much political use of regional economic cooperation conference, but make little economical use of the conference. Now, in the RECCA VII conference, it is very important for us to better manage and move forward by attracting more assistance to Afghanistan.
In previous RECCA VI held in Kabul, economic challenges of Afghanistan were briefed to representatives of more than 80 countries and international and regional organizations. It is determined that during the two-day meeting held in Ashgabat there will be discussion and exchange of views on the issues of energy, transport networks, trade and transit facilitation and communications.
The first Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan was held in 2005 in Kabul. The meeting that was hosted by Afghanistan was attended by representatives of 11 regional countries. Other meetings of the conference were held in New Delhi, Islamabad, Istanbul, Dushanbe and Kabul. In all projects that have been discussed in meetings of RECCA, role and support of RECCA member countries have been significant and all the projects as CASA – 1000, Chabahar, TAPI and Azure Road are under implementation, which can play a vital role in strengthening of economic development in the region.
Generally, consolidation of economic infrastructures and implementation of economic programs with the help and support of regional and friendly countries can guarantee peace and stability in Afghanistan.
Lailuma Noori
