Overview of the Fifth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference for Afghanistan
26-27 March 2012 – Dushanbe
In engaging business leaders, senior government officials, civil society representatives, artists, and scholars, the Fifth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan, presents an opportunity to translate the vision of a more stable and prosperous region through a stable and prosperous Afghanistan into a concrete action plan, with roots in both the “Kabul Process” and complementary regional initiatives, such as CAREC, SAARC, and ECO. Situated between recent conferences on Afghanistan in Istanbul and Bonn, as well as future conferences in 2012 in Chicago, Kabul, and Tokyo, RECCA V can advance shared economic interests through new approaches for regional economic cooperation. In particular, RECCA V aims to further the dialogue on establishing Afghanistan as a regional trade and transit hub. This will benefit its citizens and neighbors through a select number of targeted investments that unleash the talents of the business community and civil society.
The over-arching goal of regional cooperation in the Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS) is to contribute to regional stability and prosperity by restoring Afghanistan’s central role as a land bridge – between Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the Far East – for the exchange of commerce, culture, and ideas. Since 2005, Regional Economic Cooperation Conferences on Afghanistan, held in Kabul, New Delhi, Islamabad, and Istanbul, have sought to strengthen cooperation between Afghanistan and its neighbors specific economic areas through informed policy discussions accompanied by high-level commitments. RECCA V will deepen this regional cooperation agenda by focusing attention on: i) Achieving Economic Development through Building Infrastructure (Transport and Energy); ii) Developing Human Resources though the Promotion of Vocational Education and Training; and iii) Advancing Investment, Trade, Transit, and Border Management through Cooperation between National and International Authorities.
To build consensus around concrete actions to overcome obstacles and foster mutual accountability, the Fifth Regional Economic Conference on Afghanistan will produce:
A Comprehensive Progress Report: This assessment will examine the degree to which earlier RECCA commitments are met, as well as identify gaps in regional economic cooperation.
The Dushanbe Declaration: The RECCA V Outcome Document will represent a consensus among Afghan government, business, and civil society leaders and their regional and donor partners on key principles, policy objectives, and actions for regional economic cooperation.
Summaries of Major Investment Priorities and Policies: Consistent with the sequencing of activities within the ANDS National Priority Programs, a select number of high-impact regional investment projects and trade & transit policies will be presented, including key economic performance indicators and suggestions to tackle implementation bottlenecks.
Launched during His Excellency President Hamid Karzai’s second inauguration address, delivered on November 2009, the Kabul Process seeks to facilitate Afghanistan’s transition away from aid dependency and conflict to a fiscally sustainable future at peace with itself and its neighbors. Through consultations with Foreign Ministers and other senior-level officials from more than 70 countries and international organizations, RECCA V will bring a complementary regional economic focus to the Kabul Process, thereby extending the reach of ANDS National Priority Programs endorsed at the July 2012 Tokyo Conference.
Related Documents:
- RECCA V – Dushanbe Declaration – March 2012
- RECCA V – Projects with Brief Summaries
- RECCA V – Progress Report March 22
- RECCA V – Program Agenda
- RECCA V – Scholars Symposium Program
- RECCA V – Business Exhibition Program Agenda
- RECCA V – Regional Investment Projects
- RECCA V – Regional Investment Projects & Policy Priorities
- RECCA IV – Progress Report Executive Summary