Central Asian landlocked countries implementing Almaty Programme of Action, need to further co-ordinate efforts

ALMATY, 27 July 2007 - Landlocked countries in Central Asia have made good progress with regard to implementing the 2003 UN-endorsed Almaty Programme of Action (APA), said participants at a meeting organized by the OSCE in Almaty today.

At the same time they noted that the road to full implementation of the plan was still long and required enhanced commitments, as well as improved regional co-ordination efforts.

The event brought together senior officials from customs departments and ministries of transport and trade from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan Uzbekistan. They exchanged experience in the field, identified specific gaps and needs, and discussed ways to improve regional co-ordination and co-operation.

"The development of transport infrastructure, as well as the facilitation of border-crossings of goods are key priorities for Tajikistan and for the Central Asian region as a whole," said Kudoyor Kudoyorov, Tajikistan Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications. "Through its involvement in the transport and customs sector, the OSCE acts as a catalyst for regional co-operation and mutual development."

Virginia Tanase, Economic Affairs Officer at the Transport Division of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, added: "The 2003 Almaty Programme aims to overcome the problems of landlocked developing countries related to their lack of access to sea, remoteness and isolation from world markets."

She added that it was important to create genuine partnerships between landlocked developing countries and their transit neighbours, as well as among countries and competent international organizations, international financial institutions and donor organizations.

Sofia Aisagalieva, Deputy Chairman of the Kazakh Customs Control Committee, said: "International organizations can assist countries in effectively implementing international legal instruments. It is essential that the Conventions be correctly enshrined into the national legal framework."

The recommendations and conclusions of yesterday's and today's meetings in Almaty will be presented at a high level OSCE conference on developing trans-Asian and Eurasian transit transport co-operation which will be held in Dushanbe on 23 and 24 October. The Conference will contribute to a global mid-term review of the APA scheduled for 2008.