Tokayev: SPECA countries have become a bridge between Europe and Asia

“Particular attention should be paid to the creation of instruments to stimulate investment cooperation between member states of the UN Special Program for Economies for Central Asia (SPECA). In this regard, the establishment of the SPECA Trust Fund under the auspices of the UN to promote economic development and integration becomes urgent,” the President of Kazakhstan, Kasyym-Jomart Tokayev, said at the SPECA Summit held in Baku, Report informs.

According to him, today the region plays a major role in the development and diversification of international transport and transit routes: “SPECA countries have become a continental bridge between Europe and Asia.”

“This is a great advantage that we need to develop. In this regard, we have high hopes for the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route," he said.

According to him, over the past 15 years, Kazakhstan has invested more than $35 billion in the transport infrastructure: “It is planned to build more than 1,300 kilometers of railway over the next three years. This will increase the transmission capacity in the direction of China, South Asia, Russia, and Europe.”

Tokayev emphasized that Kazakhstan aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. He called on SPECA leaders to activate joint efforts on the transition to alternative energy sources and to support Kazakhstan’s initiative to establish the Almaty Office for Central Asia on climate issues.