Since the time “immortal” human survival, evolution, revolution and connectivity have been “guaranteed” by numerous “charters”. Ultimately, those charters changed the directions of basic principles of “engagements” and devised new “befitting” propositions of trade & commerce, investments, education and cultural cooperation and last but not least, institutionalized spirits of multiculturalism.
Most recently, President of Uzbekistan H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev delivered a keynote speech in an international conference entitled “Central Asia and South Asia: regional interconnectedness: Challenges and opportunities highlighting “ten initiatives” for achieving the long awaited dreams of greater regional connectivity. It has an ideal combination of pure “commercial diplomacy” having concept of “shared prosperity”.
It has shades of United Nations, Economic and social commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP), The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Magna Carta, The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, Geneva Conventions, The Hague Conventions and International Covenants on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights all upheld sanctity of humanity, mutual respect, protection of basic human rights, socio-economic prosperity, conflict resolution and last but not least, greater regional connectivity.
In this connection, connectivity has been one of the key cornerstones of regional economic cooperation and integration which has become a major “priority” for the countries of South Asia and the Central Asia especially in the context of efforts to find new “drivers” of regional economic growth, and to create additional domestic and aggregate regional demand.
For the further strengthening of regional connectivity President of Uzbekistan H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev outlined a “comprehensive” road map which provides win-win situation to all the regional countries of South Asia and Central Asia by finalizing Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs), Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), Joint Ventures (JVs), Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) and rationalizing concepts of comparative advantage doctrines.
Now Uzbekistan and Pakistan are inching towards a “Sustainable Strategic Partnership (SSP)” which will definitely further enhance regional connectivity.
By announcing ten initiatives President of Uzbekistan H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev “unlocked” the potential of ever-more closely interlinked production networks and value chains for achieving greater regional connectivity. This kind of connectivity should not be considered sector by sector, but rather as part of an “integrated” whole, encompassing the development of “corridors of prosperity” through networks of trade, transport, ICT, energy, people, and technology.
Enhanced connectivity has therefore played an “influential” role in shaping regional integration in Asia and Europe. Clearly, the contribution of “hard”, or physical, infrastructure networks to economic and social development has depended on “soft” infrastructure, including the policy, legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks in which they are located.
To overcome these policy barriers President Mirziyoyev suggested forming a pool of experts to gear-up the momentum of bilateral trade and commerce and translate into trilateral and regional level between South Asia and Central Asia regions.
In modern economic arena regional connectivity is regarded as the level and effectiveness of regional networks to facilitate flows of goods, services, people and knowledge. This extends the traditional focus of public policies beyond either physical or non-physical parameters to encompass both dimensions. In this context, President Mirziyoyev’s ten initiatives are “forwarding” looking having “progressive” orientations.
President Mirziyoyev emphasized that trade and transport connectivity between both the regions would continue to be important, particularly as countries look towards regional markets to counterbalance the slowdown in the global economy.
He also “stipulated” new drivers of regional growth in terms of massive industrialization, bio-diversity, green energies, infrastructural development and trans-regional railways projects through scientific ways and means.
He pinpointed that future patterns of economic and social development in the regions will be more closely interconnected with other regional networks in the days to come because the effectiveness of each network is increasingly dependent on the connectivity of other networks.
In his historic speech President of Uzbekistan H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev showcased numerous supportive methods and necessary pre-conditions to foster development of economic ties and mutual investments between Central Asia and South Asia.
In this regard, institutionalization of easy and free movement of investments, goods and services should be pursued through the development of advanced Customs Convention on the International Transport of Goods under Cover of TIR Carnets (TIR Convention) having “Integrative Transport System (ITS)”.
He effectively used a Transactional Model of Communication (TMC) to highlight the importance of cultural binding forces, traditional and civilizational similarities for the further strengthening of cooperation in both the regions. In this connection, generation of new jobs, suppression of poverty and achieving of stability and sustainability of regional economies will play a vital role.
He highlighted strategic importance, composition, utility and productivity of “Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar” trans-regional railway project and termed it real game and fate changer between both the regions. Hopefully, it will give new look to transit potential of the entire region having shortest and smoothest route of regional connectivity.
Ours is the age of “digitalization” and “Artificial Intelligence (AI)” technologies and combination of which guarantees smart economy. He suggested specific measures to implement digital connectivity in diverse fields of trade, transit and border management through devising a Joint Action Strategy (JAS).
Energy and food security has now become important economic attribute. President of Uzbekistan H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev presented comprehensive interconnected policies to achieve the goal of optimal food security in the Central Asia and South Asia. He rightly proposed Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAQ) to hold a meeting of the regional agriculture ministers to develop of program to overcome serious issue of food security.
We are passing through difficult times because of globalized terrorism, extremism and transnational crime including cyberspace. President of Uzbekistan H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev advocated that there should be joint strategy to eradicate these menaces. He proposed “Joint Anti-Drug Action Plan” with the help of UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
Since climate change has become a looming threat to our existence on this planet he announced measures to alleviate disturbing effects of climate change which has already produced disorders in easy and smooth water supplies, air and environment pollution, soil degradation and desertification.
Tourism economy has become important in the ongoing pandemic of Covid-19 thus President of Uzbekistan H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized on the further integration and cooperation in regional tourism. Hopefully, it will also stimulate cultural diplomacy in the future. He suggested developing a comprehensive interactive plan with the framework of the World Tourism Organization for Central Asia and South Asia Regions.
Scientific means are crucial for cultural and humanitarian exchanges in the region which would also extend spirits of cooperation between both the regions and ultimately further enhance bilateral and trilateral friendly ties among all the regional countries.
In this context, he presented a holistic model of humanities and social sciences. He proposed various joint regional programs in terms of education, science, culture and sports through participation of youth. He proposed formation of a permanent Youth Council of both the regions
Being prominent regional expert of Uzbekistan & CIS I mesmerize with President of Uzbekistan H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s inbuilt qualities of applied economics with lots of functional solutions, social innovations and adaptabilities to address and attempt to reconcile conflicting realities of humanity, politics, ethnicity, rationality, structure and system; and the main phenomena to explain culture, power, gender, differentiation and stratification.
I really admire immense knowledge of President of Uzbekistan H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev about nature, climate change, green energy, scientific thinking, rational decision making and advocacy of anti-terrorism, extremism, radicalization and cyber-security means in both the regions for the further strengthening of regional connectivity, socio-economic prosperity, infrastructural development, trans-regional railway project, joint ventures, FDIs and extermination of poverty.
To conclude I simply profess that President of Uzbekistan H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s ten initiatives is the way forward which has every important actor of human survival, massive but sensible industrialization, persuasion of green energies, diversification of economy, nurturing of human capital, elimination of poverty, generation of new jobs, comprehensive mechanism of seeking new investments, finalization of PTAs, FTAs, joint ventures and last but not least, promotion of rational thinking.
His speech pinpointed looming threats in shape of climate change, widespread non-state actors, inflexibility on part of decision making, diplomatic rigidity and last but not least, denial of the importance of cultural diplomacy.
As a maestro of modern civilization, diplomacy and good governance he emphasized the need to have close liaison and joint strategies to counter all these shortcoming of economics, politics, administration, system, society and of course hang-over of the past to move forward for the welfare of entire region and its people at large.
Investment and business friendly policies are the need of the hour. Moreover, ideal combination of public-private partnership would be remodeled to make it beneficial for all the regional countries in which political sightedness would play important role in the days to come.
