THE FIRST CASPIAN ECONOMIC FORUM – THE TRIUMPH OF MULTILATERAL COOPERATION

On 12 August 2019, a grand event took place in the National Tourist Zone “Avaza” – the First Caspian Economic Forum.

Several thousands guests from around the world arrived to participate to the Forum, including the high-level guests of the Caspian littoral and other states, representatives of international organizations, scientists, heads of leading world companies and international press.

The official opening of the Forum started with the International Conference “Caspian Sea: Benefits of developing the international economic cooperation,” during which the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov made an opening speech.  Congratulating the guests with the opening of the event, the Head of State noted the significance of the Caspian Sea from the perspective of international economic and social development. Also, the initiative on the establishment of new Caspian Ecological Programme aimed at the preservation and rational use of the natural resources of the Caspian Sea was voiced.

It was also noted that the perfection of cooperation on the Caspian Sea including its ecological conservation, pleasantly affects the social growth, stability and economic integration.  All of this cohesively matches with the national programmes of Turkmenistan and international activities aimed at the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in the framework of the Agenda 2030.   

The representatives of the governments of the “Caspian Five,” Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Novruz Mammadov, First Vice-President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Eshaq Jahangiri, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Askar Mamin and the Head of the Government of the Russian Federation Dmitriy Medvedev took part in the opening ceremony. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria Boyko Borissov also participated to the Forum.

It is vital to note that during the day, a plenary session was held, as well as the thematic sessions on the key issues of regional and world agenda, including the development of trade-economic cooperation on the Caspian Sea, modernization of multimodal transport corridors, “green economy,” etc.  

It is awaited that the Second Caspian Economic Forum will be held in the city of Astrakhan, Russian Federation.