Second Session of the Arab Economic and Cooperation Forum with the countries of Central Asia and the Republic of Azerbaijan

The second meeting of the Arab Economic and Cooperation Forum with the countries of Central Asia and the Republic of Azerbaijan will be held on 15-16 October 2017 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

The Initiative to organize the Arab Economic and Cooperation Forum with the countries of Central Asia and the Republic of Azerbaijan was firstly launched in 130th session of the Council of the League of Arab States on 8 September 2008 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This decision was adopted by the initiative of the King of Saudi Arabia. It stresses the importance to expedite the agreements highlighted in the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding which was signed by League of Arab States and Central Asian countries.

The first session of the Forum on ministers of foreign affairs, economy and finance level was held on 14 May 2014 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia under the theme of “Investment prospects and trade exchange”. The Riyadh Declaration was adopted as the final act and the Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the League of Arab States with the countries of Central Asian and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

In accordance with the Article 1 of Memorandum, the main goal of the Forum is to promote relations and strengthen cooperation between state-members of the League of Arab States with the countries of Central Asia and the Republic of Azerbaijan in different areas of mutual interest and promote regional and international security and stability. In order to ensure security and stability in the Arab region, Central Asian countries and the Republic of Azerbaijan the Parties to the Memorandum shell address current and future issues through consultations. It also aims to ensure social welfare and economic prosperity of the citizens and  promoting cooperation through development of trade ties, investments and establishment of joint ventures.

In accordance with Article 2 of the Memorandum development the political, economic, social and cultural relations was determined as priority fields of cooperation.

The Tajik delegation in Riyadh then proposed to host the next session of the Forum on 8 June 2017 in Dushanbe and Secretariat of the League of Arab States confirmed its consent by proposing to conduct the Forum  on 16 October 2017 in Tajikistan. It was decided also to hold a session of Senior Officials Meeting on 15 October 2017 prior to the ministerial session.

Cooperation in the field of investments and business opportunity is the important theme of the Forum as well. It should be noted that on 29 April 2014 the Meeting of business community of the Arab states, Central Asian countries and the Republic of Azerbaijan was held in Riyadh of Saudi Arabia, as a result the Riyadh Declaration was adopted as final act. In accordance with this document the First Business and Investment Conference of Arab states, countries of Central Asia and Azerbaijan was to be held in Beirut, Lebanon in December 2015 and the second Forum in Dushanbe, Tajikistan in 2017. But later the Union of Arab Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture proposed to postpone the first Conference. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Tajikistan represented our country in the session wich was held in Riyadh.

In February 2017, Sultanate of Oman took initiative and offered to host the First  Business and Investment Conference in December 2017. The League of Arab States in its 147th session of the meeting of the Council of Ministers in March 2017 in Cairo welcomed Oman’s initiative to hold the First Conference and on 26 April 2017 the technical group had its first organizational meeting of the First Conference in Oman. The theme of the First Conference in Muscat “Towards expanding economic and trade cooperation” was adopted then by the first organizational meeting.

The League of Arab States in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding offers short professional training courses for experts from Central Asia and Azerbaijan. It is expected that the Ministry of Tourism of the Kingdom of Morocco will offer short training course on tourism in Rabat and Foss in November 2017. It is also projected to offer training courses “Role of legislation in development of the sector of construction of residential buildings and facilities”.

On 13 September 2015 the Council of Foreign Ministers of the member states of the League of Arab States in its 144th session in Cairo adopted the resolution 7955 and according to this resolution the members had agreed to accredit Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Tajikistan to the Arab Republic of Egypt as the Permanent Representative to the League of Arab States. It should be noted that Tajikistan has appointed its representative to the League of Arab States for the first time.