Regional Consultation Meeting for the CAREC Trade and Investment Facilitation (CARTIF) Concept
On March 14, the Policy and Management Consulting Group (PMCG), in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), organized a virtual regional consultation meeting to discuss the CAREC Trade and Investment Facilitation (CARTIF) Concept. The session brought together CAREC trade focal points to review the draft concept, evaluate feedback from CAREC countries, and outline the next steps in advancing regional trade and investment facilitation.
Building on CAREC’s previous trade facilitation efforts and leveraging insights from recent research and capacity-building activities, ADB continues its commitment to supporting the CAREC Integrated Trade Agenda (CITA) 2030 and assists CAREC countries in formulating a comprehensive and structured framework. CARTIF is aimed to be a regional agreement among CAREC countries designed to move cooperation to partnership in the field of trade and investment.
As a soft agreement, CARTIF will be open to all CAREC countries and will be built upon the principles established by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other regional trade agreements, including the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement and the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement. However, CARTIF will be uniquely structured to align with the specific needs of the CAREC region.
Mikheil Janelidze, Trade Sector Lead at PMCG, leads a team of international consultants under ADB’s technical assistance project. A comprehensive concept for the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Trade and Investment Facilitation Agreement (CARTIF) has already been developed.
ADB is committed to delivering high-quality supporting documents and securing the active engagement of all CAREC members. By facilitating structured discussions and ensuring the involvement of diverse stakeholders, ADB aims to assist CAREC countries to position CARTIF as a cornerstone of economic integration and diversification in the region.
As the CAREC region moves forward with this initiative, the collaboration between PMCG, ADB, and CAREC countries will play a pivotal role in shaping a trade and investment environment that supports development and economic prosperity.
