US-Central Asia B5+1 format forum kicks off in Almaty
A B5+1 format forum with the participation of government and business community officials of the Central Asian countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, and the US kicked off in Almaty, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The event brought together over 200 experts and investors from the five Central Asian countries and the US to boost cooperation and improve the business environment through partnership aimed at economic prosperity of the region.
A B5+1 initiative is set to provide active cooperation between business communities and governments of the Central Asian countries with the participation of the US. The forum is to discuss key economic issues as well as produce concrete steps to address them and will officially start the V+1 platform presented at the Summit of the Heads of State in New York in September 2023.
According to Nicholas Berliner, special assistant to the US President and senior director for Russia and Central Asia, the B5+1 forum is a catalyst for regional economic integration, extending beyond Central Asia.
As Kazakh deputy prime minister – national economy minister Nurlan Baibazarov said, the forum is a platform for sharing experiences and ideas, provides an opportunity to find solutions to different issues.
The issues we face are complex and interconnected. From infrastructure development to trade procedures simplification, from regulatory framework to capacity building. With the use of dialogue, we cam define areas of common interest, share ideas and collectively develop solutions for each sector, said Baibazarov.
According to Murat Karimsakov, head of the Secretary of the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, B5+1 is a new format of partnership aimed at connecting business communities of central Asia and the US to step up interaction between private sectors and governments of the region’s countries.
We’re convinced that such a forum of interaction and work will elevate our cooperation to a more quality level, he said.
As he said, Kazakhstan attaches special attention to the relationship with the CA countries in its trade and economic investment policy. According to the minister, enhancement of the cooperation between the region’s countries and American business provides new opportunities in spheres such as renewable energy, transport and logistics, e-commerce, tourism, agriculture and industry.
For that, Kazakhstan and the countries of the region promote reforms aimed at increasing the investment attractiveness of the country and pursues the policy of open doors for foreign investments in its economy, said Karimsakov.
The two-day forum is to discuss recommendations to improve the business environment in the CA countries in fields such as transport and logistics, e-commerce, tourism, RES, agrobusiness, opportunities to attract investments and develop infrastructure projects.
