17-18 April 2024, the 2nd CARES Digital Trade Forum and the 6th Regional Trade Group Meeting were held in Astana.
The Forum was attended by representatives of CAREC member countries from government, business and global leaders, development institutions working in the region on various aspects of trade digitalization and digital ecosystem development.
The CAREC Digital Trade Forum launched in November 2022 is a knowledge platform that aims to promote the use of digital solutions and strengthen regional cooperation to enhance supply chain connectivity and expand trade, as part of the broader CAREC Integrated Trade Agenda, serves as a cross-learning network of policy makers, regulators, trade promotion agencies, private sector, development partners, think tanks, and other key stakeholders to share effective policies and practices to harness digital trade.
On the first day after the welcoming speech of the Vice-Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan Balykbayev Kairat and Regional Head of the Regional Cooperation and Integration of Central and West Asia Department of the Asian Development Bank Sabyrova Lyaziza, Forum participants discussed issues of regional mechanisms and systems for cross-border data flows, infrastructure for digital trade, as well as issues of the use of emerging technologies and digital public infrastructure.
Kulbatyrov Nurlan, First Deputy General Director of QazTrade, shared information about the work being carried out in Kazakhstan on the digitalization of trade. In addition, the results of trade facilitation work carried out in Kazakhstan were presented.
The 6th Regional Trade Group Meeting held on 18 April was opened by the Vice-Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan Torebayev Kairat and Regional Head of the Regional Cooperation and Integration of Central and West Asia Department of the Asian Development Bank Sabyrova Lyaziza.
During the meeting, participants reviewed the implementation progress of the CAREC Integrated Trade Agenda 2030, discussed the midterm review of CAREC 2030 strategy and mainstreaming of Climate Change actions and operationalizing the CAREC Climate Change Vision in CAREC trade sector work, and endorsed the Rolling Strategic Action Plan 2024-2026.