UN Promotes Regional Cooperation to Revitalize the Silk Road

UNDP
Posted: 2007-11-20 19:39:30

“Regional cooperation is a key to help meet the Millennium Development Goals of reducing poverty and promoting growth and equality,” said Malik while introducing the results and achievements of the inception meeting of the Silk Road Regional Programme (SRRP), which took place from 15-17 February in Beijing.

First of its kind, the two-day meeting started a strategic dialogue on the implementation of the SRRP—a joint initiative between UNDP and the governments of China and four Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, aiming to revive the Silk Road tradition of economic cooperation in three areas—trade, investment and tourism. Initial dialogue with the governments of the participating country and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was also held during the meeting.

Representatives from the Chinese government, Embassies of the Central Asian Countries to China and some donor countries, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the World Tourism Organisation (WTO), and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and UNDP officials from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and China, attended the press conference.

Malik noted that political commitments, setting clear targets, involving the private sector more actively in the process, bringing mayors of the Silk Road cities together, are all areas where cooperation should exist.

“This project will enable the cities along the route to play their role in enhancing regional and inter-regional cooperation, and promoting world peace and development,” he said.

“Constructive, fruitful dialogues have been conducted during the meeting,” said Fikret Akcura, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Uzbekistan, noting that with neighbors like China, Central Asia’s ability to integrate into the international economic system is seen increasingly, in terms of its ability to expand levels of inter-, and intra-, regional economic cooperation.
He said that the ancient Silk Road brought contact between different people for exchanging commodities and ideas, which led to the high and secure living standards for communities along the road. Therefore, countries along the Silk Road should learn from each other and work together on transport networks, information services, management approach and policy regulations.
“We can achieve new miracles by opening tourism and realize the free movement of visitors, goods and services,” added Akcura.
"In the vast area of Central Asia, including western China, rich tourism resources remain to be tapped,” said Malik, noting that through the project, innovative initiatives such as the Silk Road visa will be introduced to strengthen the competitiveness of the Silk Road region in the global tourism market.

With a total fund of one million USD, this two-year project represents a strategic, follow-up phase of an earlier UNDP programme “Silk Road Area Development – Phase I”. Through building a strong partnership with high level government dialogue mechanisms such as the SCO, and assisted by UNCTAD and WTO, the project aims to help countries along the Silk Road better participate in intra and inter-regional trade and economic cooperation, as well as sustainable tourism, via a variety of innovative approaches, such as the Silk Road Mayors’ forum, the Silk Road multiple entry visa, and awarding the title of ‘UN Silk Road City’.