On 20-21 September 2018, Tashkent hosted an international conference on Central Asia's role in the system of international transport corridors, as well as strategic prospects and unrealised opportunities.
Apart from high-ranking representatives from 50 states and international organisations, the conference involved an SCO Secretariat delegation headed by SCO Deputy Secretary-General Xie Xiaoyong.
The conference was organised to promote all-round dialogue between Central Asian countries and international institutions, as well as representatives of transport and logistic companies for streamlining available transport corridors and establishing new ones.
The event included the main plenary session and four workshops, with participants discussing the development of the transport-transit potential of regional countries, efforts to streamline the railway transport system, to improve road transport traffic and to expand air traffic.
The SCO Deputy Secretary-General informed those at the conference about achievements of multilateral transport and communications cooperation between SCO member states in great detail.
The Organisation's comprehensive approach towards expanded transport cooperation expedites the creation of a ramified and integrated system of transport routes in the SCO region, he pointed out. This makes it possible to accomplish large-scale tasks as well as to expand regional trade and economic cooperation, he added.
After the event, conference participants signed a number of memorandums of understanding between states and international organisations, as well as contracts between commercial companies of Central Asian countries. These documents aim to streamline the infrastructure and to ensure freight and passenger traffic.