Ashgabat Trade Policy Forum Central Asia and the Multilateral Trading System

Date: 11-13 May 2016
Location: Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), in partnership with the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Government of Turkmenistan, organized a Trade Policy Forum on “Central Asia and the Multilateral Trading System” from 11 to 13 May 2016 in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. The Forum focused on two themes at the top of the trade policy and economic agenda for senior policy makers in Central Asia: i) Accession to the WTO; and ii) Regional Integration, including Trade Facilitation. This Forum brought together senior representatives of the United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) — Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan — as well as Iran. Representatives of selected development partners were also invited.

The key objective of the Trade Policy Forum was to promote the integration of Central Asia into a rules-based, open and non-discriminatory multilateral trading system (MTS). The Policy Forum programme reflected trade economic priorities for Central Asia today, including strengthening regional cooperation, integration into the rules-based MTS through accession negotiations under Article XII of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the WTO, implementation of measures contained in the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) through national and regional strategies, and development of regional supply chains through the removal of trade barriers within the region while taking advantage of large markets in neighbouring countries.

A meeting of the SPECA Thematic Working Group on Trade, chaired by H.E. Mr Saidrahmon Nazrizoda, First Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Tajikistan was held back to back with the Trade Policy Forum on 13 May in the afternoon.

Programme

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, 11-13 May 2016

Opening Session
Moderator: Mr Shamurat Mustafayev, Deputy Minister of Economy and Development of Turkmenistan

11 May 2016, 9:30 – 10:00

Session I: Accession to the World Trade Organization
Moderator: Mr. Chiedu Osakwe, Director, Accessions Division, WTO

Participation restricted — invitation only

11 May 2016, 10:15 – 11:00

10:15 – 11:00
(15 minute per speaker)

Accession to the Rules-Based Multilateral Trading System: Opportunities and Challenges for Central Asia

Speaker: Mr Chiedu Osakwe, Director, Accessions Division, WTO
Presentation

Speaker: H.E. Mr Shamurat Mustafayev, Deputy Minister of Economy and Development of Turkmenistan

Open Discussion

11:00 – 12:30
(15 minute per speaker)

Accession Negotiations: Exchange of Experiences and Lessons Learnt

How to Drive and Conclude an Accession — Perspectives of Former Chief Negotiator

Speaker: Mrs. Aliya Alimbetova, Deputy Director, Foreign Trade Activity Development, Department, Ministry of National Economy, Republic of Kazakhstan
Presentation

Commentator: Mrs. Cecilia Klein, Former US Negotiator for WTO Accessions

Open discussion

12:30 – 13:30

Lunch break

13:30 – 15:00
(15 minute per speaker)

Accession Negotiations: Exchange of Experiences and Lessons Learnt (continued)

How to Drive and Conclude an Accession — Perspectives of Former Chief Negotiator

Speaker: H.E. Mr. Mahmud Mammad-Guliyev, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chief Negotiator for WTO Accession, Azerbaijan
Statement

Speaker: MR. Saman Yousefvand, WTO Desk Officer, Multilateral Economic Cooperation, Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Islamic Republic of Iran
Presentation

Commentator: Mrs. Cecilia Klein, Former US Negotiator for WTO Accessions

Open Discussion

15:00 – 15:15

Coffee Break

15:15 – 16:45
(15 minute per speaker)

Post-Accession: Maximizing Opportunities and Benefits from WTO Membership and Participation in the Work of the WTO

Post-Accessions – How to Prepare for WTO Membership: Experience of Tajikistan

Speaker: H.E. Mr. Saidrahmon Nazrizoda, First Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Tajikistan
Statement
Presentation

Participation in the WTO: Reflection on 18 Years of WTO Membership

Speaker: Mrs. Anarkan Rakhmanova, Deputy Minister/Head of Representative Office of the Ministry of Есоnomy of the Kyrgyz Republic to the WTO and Former Negotiator for WTO Accession

Commentator: Mrs. Cecilia Klein, Former US Negotiator for WTO Accessions

Open Discussion

16:45 – 17:30

Support for Accession and Post-Accession: Partnership and Outreach

Speaker: Ms Maika Oshikawa, Counsellor, Accessions Division, WTO
Presentation

Speaker: Mr. Wolfgang Fengler, Lead Economist in Trade and Competitiveness, World Bank

Open Discussion

17:30 – 18:00

Conclusion of the Session

09:30 – 12:30 Cultural programme organized by the Government of Turkmenistan

Session II: Trade Facilitation in Central Asia
Moderator: Mrs. Virginia Cram-Martos, Director, Economic Cooperation and Trade Division, UNECE

12 May 2016, 09:30 – 12:30

4:00 – 15:30
(10 minute per speaker)

Ashgabat Trade Policy Forum: Concept and Objectives

Speaker: Mrs. Virginia Cram-Martos, Director, Economic Cooperation and Trade Division, UNECE

Need for Trade Facilitation for Development in Central Asia

Speaker: Mrs. Virginia Cram-Martos, Director, Economic Cooperation and Trade Division, UNECE

WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA): State of Play and the TFA Facility

Speaker: Maika Oshikawa, Accessions Division, WTO

WTO TFA: Countries' Readiness for Implementation
(Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan have carried out assessments of their readiness to implement the WTO TFA)
Presentation (english)

Speaker: Mr. Mario Apostolov, Regional Adviser, UNECE Trade (readiness assessment: lessons learnt)

Speaker: Mr. Alexander Strokatov, Deputy Director, WTO Department, Centre for Trade Policy Development Ministry of National Economy, Kazakhstan

Tour de table: Country representatives (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan), UNCTAD and others will be invited to speak.

Open Discussion

15:30 – 15:45

Coffee Break

15:45 – 17:30
(10 minute per speaker)

Regional Trade Facilitation Strategy

Speaker: H.E. Mr. Saidrahmon Nazrizoda First Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Tajikistan

Speaker: Mr. Mario Apostolov, Regional Advisor, UNECE

Trade and transport facilitation projects in Central Asia

Speakers: Representatives of the countries

Trade facilitation implementation in Central Asia

Speaker: Mrs. Violane Konar-Leacy, IFC, World Bank

Speaker: Mr. David Oberhuber, Programme Director, GIZ programme "Support to Regional Trade in Central Asia“

National Trade Facilitation Bodies and Implementation of Trade Facilitation Tools

Speaker: Mr. Mario Apostolov, Regional Adviser, UNECE

Open Discussion

Session III: High Level Segment on Regional Trade Cooperation and Sustainable Development
Moderator: H.E. Mr. Saidrahmon Nazrizoda, First Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Tajikistan

13 May 2016, 9.00-9.45