Enhancing Capacities of Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Countries in the Design and Implementation of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)
We recently launched a new project, aiming to strengthen knowledge and capacities regarding the design and implementation of free trade agreements (FTAs) of all countries of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) program, which represents a partnership of 11 countries (Afghanistan, China, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan) and development partners working together to promote development through cooperation, leading to accelerated economic growth and poverty reduction, guided by the overarching vision of “Good Neighbors, Good Partners, and Good Prospects.”
To ensure that global and regional trade and investment opportunities of the CAREC countries are expanded, and that integration in the regional and global economies is enhanced through the countries’ enhanced capacities to design, negotiate, implement, and monitor FTAs, we take a pragmatic and differentiated approach and use intra-regional knowledge and experience-sharing combined with international best practices when preparing training and capacity-building activities and material.
In doing so, we will: conduct FTA knowledge and capacity needs assessments (CNAs) in the CAREC countries; prepare CAREC FTA guidelines on FTA design, negotiation, implementation, and monitoring; prepare country-specific action plans to improve institutions, capacity, and practices in participating and implementing FTAs; and deliver various knowledge-sharing and capacity-building events.
“Trade will be a driver for CAREC countries’ post-pandemic recovery as well as their long-term economic growth. The countries have prioritized the deepening of further regional integration through free trade and are even exploring the possibility of a CAREC-wide FTA. PMCG, with its international and regional expertise is honored to contribute to this objective and to assist CAREC countries in strengthening their capacities to design, negotiate, implement, and monitor FTAs,” said Mr. Mikheil Janelidze, Senior Consultant at PMCG.
Ultimately, the project seeks to help CAREC countries to continue their efforts to keep trade open and smooth in order to revitalize globalization, to deepen regional cooperation, and to achieve sustainable growth.