Tashkent hosted the 18th meeting of ministers of the SCO member states responsible for foreign economic and foreign trade activities.

On September 26, Tashkent hosted the 18th meeting of ministers of the SCO member states responsible for foreign economic and foreign trade activities.

The event was attended by SCO Deputy Secretary General Sherali Jonon and a representative of the SCO Business Council, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Uzbekistan Adkham Ikramov.

The Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sardor Umurzakov noted that Uzbekistan considers the SCO as an authoritative and influential platform for discussing and resolving a wide range of issues of sustainable development, strengthening peace and prosperity, countering modern challenges and threats, ensuring security and stability both on a regional and at the global level.

The parties considered issues related to further development of regional economic cooperation, exchanged views on the state and prospects of trade, economic and investment cooperation in the SCO space.

A draft report of the SCO Secretariat on the process of implementation of the program of multilateral trade and economic cooperation of the SCO member states was considered. It was recommended to introduce it in the prescribed manner for approval of the next meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government.

Special working groups were instructed to intensify activities on implementation of the SCO program and planning documents on the economic theme. Information was provided by the representative of the SCO Business Council on the activities of this structure for 2018-2019 and priority areas of activities for 2020.

Information was also heard on the preparatory work for the next meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the SCO member states to be held in Tashkent. The urgency of expanding cooperation in such areas as trade, investment, transport, logistics, tourism, agriculture, industry, energy, information and communication technologies, science, ecology and environmental protection was emphasized.

At the meeting, a draft concept of cooperation between the SCO member states on development of remote and rural territories in the digital era was approved. An agreement was reached on providing proposals on the mechanism for its implementation in the established manner.

Heads of delegations approved the draft regulations of the SCO Consortium of Economic Analytical Centers. Protocol was signed following the events.