President Zhaparov names priorities of Kyrgyzstan for cooperation with OECD

Bishkek, March 4, 2021. / Kabar /. "Within the framework of cooperation with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), one of the priority areas for Kyrgyzstan, a landlocked country, is the transport sector," President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov said Thursday at the 14th OECD Summit, held in the format of a video conference.

The Kyrgyz president said that in order to achieve closer regional cooperation and economic development, the OECD member countries should develop and implement strategies in priority areas of the economy, such as trade, transport and communications, energy, tourism, social welfare and the environment.

"Kyrgyzstan, along with other OECD countries, participates in the development of East-West and North-South transport corridors. This will give Central Asian countries, including Kyrgyzstan, access to the open sea through the territory of Iran.

We also pay special attention to promoting railroad construction projects that connect transport routes of OECD member countries with external markets in Europe and China, which is part of the OECD Transport and Communications Action Plan," the President stressed.

He also noted the importance of implementing projects to build new railway lines on the territory of the OECD, including through Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to the border with China.

Further, Sadyr Zhaparov emphasized the need to expand energy trade among the OECD countries.

In addition, the Kyrgyz leader mentioned a number of important projects in the area of food security and sustainable agricultural development in the region, which need to be improved and strengthened.

He especially noted the intensification of cooperation between the countries in the field of tourism.

"The countries of our region have significant tourism and recreational potential and great potential for the development of international tourism. Kyrgyzstan will contribute to the further development of cooperation in promising areas of tourism," the head of state added.

In conclusion of his speech, Sadyr Zhaparov emphasized that the OECD countries have all the necessary potential and, being in the center of the Eurasian continent, have sufficient capacity to independently implement their goals and objectives.