The historic first joint informal meeting of the heads of diplomatic missions of the countries of Central Asia, Mongolia and the Caribbean took place in Brussels.
This meeting, initiated by the ambassadors of the Central Asian countries and Mongolia accredited in Belgium, marked a new stage in interregional cooperation and aimed to exchange experience in expanding trade, economic and sectoral partnerships, as well as strengthening interregional and intraregional ties.
The Ambassadors of Central Asia noted that despite the geographical remoteness, there is a similar position of the countries of the region and the Caribbean on strengthening global dialogue and international security. This is an important condition for deepening economic relations between the regions.
During the meeting, the Central Asian diplomats briefed on various investment preferences and tools that allow foreign investors to develop their activities in the region. Special attention was paid to the development of the transport and logistics potential of the Central Asian region and the growing interest of the EU in the development of the Middle Corridor.
Jamaican Ambassador Simone Betton-Nayo, speaking on behalf of the Caribbean countries, highlighted the main areas of cooperation between their region and the EU. In particular, she noted the importance of cooperation within the framework of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), the Community of Latin American and Caribbean Countries (CELAC) and the economic partnership. She also expressed willingness to share experience in promoting climate, innovation, humanitarian and trade dialogues.
Turkmenistan’s Ambassador, Sapar Palvanov, reaffirmed the country’s dedication to both bilateral and interregional cooperation. He highlighted the value of Brussels as a venue for these discussions and expressed Turkmenistan’s support for continuing and developing this format, despite geographical distances.
To showcase the region’s tourism potential, a video highlighting the diverse offerings of Central Asian countries was presented, alongside a specific video showcasing Turkmenistan.
During the meeting, the participants discussed important issues of the visa regime, increasing the number of flights and expanding the geography of flights, tourism, education, digitalization (including e-government projects), cultural and humanitarian cooperation and strengthening democratic institutions.
At the end of the meeting, the parties agreed to maintain a substantive dialogue aimed at strengthening comprehensive cooperation between Central Asia, Mongolia, the Caribbean and the EU. ///nCa, 18 May 2024 (in cooperation with the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Belgium)