Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Program
Implementing CAREC 2020 Strategic Framework
Wuhan Action Plan
11th CAREC Ministerial Conference 30 October 2012
Wuhan, People’sRepublic of China
11th CAREC Ministerial Conference 30 October 2012
Wuhan, People’s Republic of China
Implementing CAREC 2020: The Wuhan Action Plan
- IMPLEMENTING CAREC 2020: VISION AND ACTION
- CAREC 2020: A Strategic Framework for the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Program 2011-2020 (CAREC 2020) was endorsed by the 10th Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Ministerial Conference held in Baku, Azerbaijan in November 2011. To ensure effective and timely achievement of the strategic objectives laid out in CAREC 2020, the 11th CAREC Ministerial Conference held in Wuhan, People’s Republic of China (PRC) in October 2012 endorses the Wuhan Action Plan. Three priority areas of actions are detailed in the Wuhan Action Plan to guide the CAREC Program through its next phase of operations. The Wuhan Action Plan has three key elements:
❖ Sector Operational Priorities
❖ CAREC Institute Work Plan 2013-2017
❖ Transport Facilitation Action Plan
The Wuhan Action Plan is a living document. It will be regularly reviewed and updated by the CAREC countries through the sector coordinating committees, the Senior Officials’ Meeting, and the Ministerial Conference.
- PRIORITY ACTIONS FOR CAREC PROGRAM OPERATIONS
- Sector Operational Priorities
- Transport Sector
2. At the 11th Transport Sector Coordinating Committee (TSCC) Meeting held in Manila, Philippines in May 2012, the TSCC approved a total of 68 medium-term priority investment projects, amounting to $23 billion, whose implementation is expected to start from 2011 to 2015. The majority of these projects relate to sections of the six CAREC corridors that remain in poor condition. This project list will be updated annually, and as part of the ongoing midterm review of the Transport and Trade Facilitation Strategy and Action Plan. Progress in implementing CAREC projects will be monitored using a set of measurable indicators. Details of transport sector priority projects are shown in Annex 1.
2. Trade Facilitation Sector
- The 10th Customs Cooperation Committee (CCC) Meeting held in Baku, Azerbaijan in September 2011, and the 11th CCC Meeting held in Chengdu, PRC in October 2012 agreed on priority investment and technical assistance requirements in support of the trade facilitation component of CAREC 2020. These activities are shown in Annex 2 and shall be updated as part of the ongoing midterm review of the Transport and Trade Facilitation Strategy and Action Plan. Additional priority actions under trade facilitation aimed at maximizing the benefits of CAREC corridors by identifying key physical barriers to cross-border transport include:
❖ Renovation of border-crossing points
❖ Adoption of new/amended Customs codes
❖ Investing in automated Customs information systems
❖ Moving toward establishment of national single windows
❖ Upgrading border control risk management systems.
3. Energy Sector
- The Energy Sector Coordinating Committee (ESCC) Meetings held in Manila, Philippines in May 2012 and in Bangkok, Thailand in September 2012, developed the Energy Work Plan 2013-2015 (EWP). The EWP comprises six actionable components:
❖ Developing the Central Asia—South Asia Corridor. A detailed study will be conducted to examine the options for connecting the energy resources of Central Asian countries to a national power grid in Afghanistan, and onward to the power markets of South Asia. An optimum scheme will be selected, based on technical and economic considerations.
❖ Resolving Regional Energy Dispatch Issues. A number of studies will be conducted to address technical, legal, regulatory, and commercial issues that impact regional power trade.
❖ Managing Energy-Water Linkages. A roadmap has been established for managing energy-water linkages, emphasizing the balancing of national and regional analytical tools, open source data, and wide dissemination of information products.
❖ Mobilizing Funds for Building Energy Assets. The capacity/appetite of each country to finance priority power infrastructure projects from its own resources will be assessed, and other sources of financing will be explored including private investment. Preparatory work will be undertaken to set up a CAREC regional project development facility to identify and prepare potential public-private-partnership projects.
❖ Implementation of Energy Sector Priority Projects. The list of energy sector priority projects will be updated, based on national and regional priorities, and taking into account the project prioritization plan outlined in the CAREC Regional Power Master Plan. Progress toward the goal of regional cooperation in the energy sector will be monitored using a set of measurable indicators.
❖ Capacity Building and Knowledge Management. Capacity-building and knowledge management programs will be prioritized in consultation with the CAREC Institute and knowledge sources. The programs will be delivered through studies, workshops, and seminars.
4. Trade Policy Sector
- The 16th Trade Policy Coordinating Committee held in Hohhot, People’s Republic of China in June 2012, endorsed continued implementation of priority policy actions that aim to help all CAREC countries adopt more open trade regimes and facilitate intra- and interregional trade. These activities include:
❖ Supporting World Trade Organization accession
❖ Eliminating remaining quantitative restrictions on exports and imports
❖ Reducing and simplifying trade taxes
❖ Improving the general institutional environment for trade
❖ Reducing transit and border trade barriers.
The Trade Policy Strategy and Action Plan will be reviewed and updated in 2012-2013.
- CAREC Institute Work Plan 2013-2017
- The Wuhan Action Plan emphasizes the critical role of the CAREC Institute in achieving the strategic objectives of CAREC 2020 through sustainable provision of knowledge support to the four CAREC priority sectors—transport, energy, trade facilitation, and trade policy. Senior officials reached broad agreement on the CAREC Institute’s Strategic Knowledge Framework (SKF) at their meeting on 6-7 June 2012 in Hohhot, PRC. The SKF has three components:
❖ Knowledge generation activities will encompass research and studies on key issues regarding economic cooperation, which are of regional, national, or sectoral significance. These activities will be conducted either directly under the CAREC Institute or through partner institutions.
❖ Knowledge services will involve knowledge sharing through capacity-building interventions such as learning programs and related activities (seminars and workshops).
❖ Knowledge management will include organizing and processing existing knowledge/information and transforming it into knowledge products for wide dissemination using appropriate means, including portals and the CAREC website.
- Following agreement on the SKF, a consultative review process with country and multilateral institution partners identified activities to develop the CAREC Institute Work Plan 2013-2017. Activities were selected and prioritized according to three principles articulated in the SKF:
❖ Integration: the extent to which an activity spans the three knowledge components and combines knowledge generation, knowledge services, and knowledge management.
❖ Results-based orientation: the extent to which an activity is an important input to the delivery of targets indicated in CAREC 2020.
❖ Partnership and networking: the extent to which an activity can be delivered in collaboration with multilateral institutions and/or relevant partner institutions in the CAREC countries.
- Under the CAREC Institute, activities will be aligned with at least one of the three knowledge components and complement activities included in the work plans of the implementing sector coordinating committees.
- Priority activities for implementation in 2013-2014 are shown in Annex 3, together with indicative work areas for 2015-2017. Activity areas for 2015-2017 will be elaborated and reviewed by the Senior Officials’ Meeting as CAREC cooperation in the priority sectors makes progress, and as other issues are identified in the course of conducting knowledge generation and knowledge services activities.
- Transport Facilitation Action Plan
- In line with the strategic objectives of CAREC 2020 to increase trade and improve competitiveness, a series of meetings and consultations among CAREC partners were held over 2011-2012, with the aim of developing effective cross-border transport facilitation among the CAREC countries.1 Overall concurrence was reached on the need to remove nonphysical barriers to inter-state and transit transport in the CAREC region, as well as recommendations on future directions of transport facilitation arrangements.
- Under the Wuhan Action Plan, all CAREC partners will prioritize the following actions related to transport facilitation:
❖ CAREC countries, on a voluntary basis, will take a pragmatic, corridor-based, and results-driven approach, building on their ongoing and planned transport facilitation measures covering the six CAREC corridors, and/or forging new, simple bilateral/plurilateral agreements to serve the transport facilitation needs of these CAREC corridors.
❖ CAREC countries, on a voluntary basis, will identify relevant, corridor-specific agreements which adhere to basic principles of transport facilitation but which, over time, will pave the way for member countries to effectively implement a wider regional agreement. In line with CAREC 2020, the selection of “pilot” agreements to be implemented will be based on (i) the willingness of countries to participate, (ii) the volume of international trade passing through the corridor, and (iii) the readiness of transport and border infrastructure to handle increased cross-border traffic. Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan have indicated interest in participating in pilot
1 Meetings included the Consultation with CAREC National Focal Points in September 2011 in Beijing, PRC; the Roundtable Seminar on Ways Forward for Corridor-Based Transport Facilitation Arrangements in the CAREC Region in July 2012 in Beijing, PRC; and the Consultation with CAREC National Focal Points in September 2012 in Bangkok, Thailand.
cross-border transport facilitation initiatives along CAREC corridors that traverse their territory.
❖ The selected agreements will be analyzed with a view to identifying key impediments to their effective implementation and proposing measures to address the impediments in line with the minimum and highly critical requirements for facilitated cross-border transport operations. The analysis should address the question of how existing and operational transport facilitation agreements in participating countries relate to each other and with other planned agreements to ensure that they build on each other’s facilitation effects, leading to development of a sound business case for cross-border transport facilitation initiatives through the CAREC platform.
❖ As a key initial step for piloting transport facilitation arrangements, CAREC countries will strengthen their respective national transport and trade facilitation bodies through (i) systematic and sustainable capacity building with assistance of development partners,
(ii) regular and constructive dialogues with transport facilitation bodies in neighboring countries, and (iii) active engagement with private sector stakeholders in the country and neighboring countries.
❖ National transport and trade facilitation bodies will each formulate and implement their respective action plans. With participation of the private sector, they should regularly monitor the effectiveness of existing agreements and make the necessary adjustments through voluntary national actions. They will also be responsible for disseminating knowledge on good practices to encourage other CAREC country sub-groupings to pursue their own effective transport facilitation arrangements along their respective CAREC transport corridors.
❖ ADB, as CAREC Secretariat, has been requested to play the role of facilitator and honest broker regarding the above recommendations.
Annex 1: Transport Sector Priority Projects under CAREC 2020
Country | Project Name | Cost ($ million) | Planned Implementation Period |
AFG | Pul-e-Khumri-Doshi Road | 19.0 | 2011–2012 |
AFG | Leman-Armalick Road | 38.0 | 2011–2013 |
AFG | Construction of Kabul-Jalalabad Road | 195.0 | 2011–2013 |
AFG | Construction of 62 km Railway Line (4th Section) of Rozanak/Ghorian-Herat Railway Line | 125.0 | 2011–2013 |
AFG | Qaisar-Bala Murghab Road (Road Network Development Project 1) | 174.0 | 2011–2015 |
AFG | Bala Murghab-Leman Road | 376.0 | 2011–2015 |
AFG | Construction of Railway Line of Shirkhan Bandar-Kunduz-Kholam-Naibabad-Andkhoy-Herat | 450.0 | 2012–2015 |
AFG | Aqina-Andkhoy Railway Construction (Linking Turkmenistan-Afghanistan) | 75.0 | 2012–2015 |
| Subtotal: | 1,452.0 | |
AZE | Construction of Baku International Sea Trade Port Complex (formerly AZE TA2: Feasibility Study for New Alyat Port) | 50.0 | 2011–2013 |
AZE | Railway Trade and Transport Facilitation Project (certain part of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project) | 795.0 | 2011–2014 |
AZE | Hajygabul-Yevlakh (130 km) and Ganja-Qazakh Roads (additional 2 lanes) - 94 km | 1,478.6 | 2012–2017 |
| Subtotal: | 2,324.0 | |
KAZ | Shymkent-Tashkent (157 km) | 378.0 | 2012–2015 |
KAZ | Construction of New Railway Line Zhezkazgan-Saksaulskaya | 2,007.0 | 2012–2016 |
KAZ | Almaty- Khorgoz | 1,068.0 | 2012–2015 |
KAZ | Astana-Karaganda Road Rehabilitaion | 904.0 | 2013–2015 |
KAZ | Almaty-Kapshagai Road Rehabilitation | 434.0 | 2013–2015 |
| Subtotal: | 4,791.0 | |
KGZ | Rehabilitation of Bishkek–Osh Road (Phase 4) (Bishkek-Karabalta) 127km | 120.0 | 2011–2015 |
KGZ | Equipment Purchase for Wagon Repair/Maintenance Facility | 4.0 | 2011–2012 |
KGZ | Reconstruction of Osh International Airport | 105.0 | 2011–2014 |
KGZ | Balykchi – Chaldovar –Lugovaya Railroad Rehabilitation Project | 65.6 | 2011–2015 |
KGZ | Electrification of Lugovaya–Bishkek (Alamedin) Railway | 250.0 | 2011–2016 |
KGZ | Construction of Bazar-Korgon – Kyzyl-Unkur – Sargata road (bypassing the Bishkek – Osh road from km 325 to km 528) (80 km) | 100.0 | 2012–2015 |
KGZ | Construction of the northern bypass road Bishkek – Kara-Balta (60km) | 150.0 | 2014–2017 |
| Subtotal: | 819.0 | |
Country | Project Name | Cost ($ million) | Planned Implementation Period |
MON | Western Regional Road Development Phase 2 MFF | 260.0 | 2011–2020 |
MON | Railway track maintenance depot | 35.0 | 2012–2014 |
MON | Railway train control center | 57.0 | 2012–2014 |
MON | Extension of railway passenger station | 45.0 | 2012–2015 |
MON | Construction of Altanbulag- Ulaanbaatar-Zamiin-Uud highway | 2,100.0 | 2012–2016 |
| Subtotal: | 2,497.0 | |
PAK | Peshawar - Torkam, N-5 (Upgradation, 58 Km), including Peshawar Northern Bypass | 150.0 | 2012–2015 |
PAK | Gwadar - Turbat - Hoshab, M-8 (242 Km) | 120.0 | 2012–2014 |
PAK | Khuzdar - Ratodero, M-8 (60 Km) | 30.0 | 2012–2014 |
PAK | Realignment of KKH at Hunza due to Attabad Lake, N-35 (17 Km) | 281.0 | 2012–2014 |
PAK | Basima - Khuzdar, N-30 (110 Km) | 78.0 | 2012–2015 |
PAK | Sarai Gambila - Karapa Chowk (Peshawar), N-55 (Expressway, 95 Km) | 224.0 | 2013–2016 |
PAK | D.I. Khan-Sarai Gambilla, N-55 (Expressway, 119 Km) | 280.0 | 2013–2016 |
PAK | Karachi - Hub-Dureji - Sehwan - M-7 (250 Km), New alignment | 1,029.0 | 2013–2017 |
PAK | Sehwan - Ratodero, N-55 (Expressway, 199 Km) | 351.0 | 2012–2016 |
PAK | Ratodero-D.G. Khan, N-55 (Expressway, 200 Km) | 588.0 | 2013–2016 |
PAK | D.G. Khan - D.I. Khan, N-55 (Expressway, 208 Km) | 818.0 | 2013–2016 |
PAK | Karapa Chowk - Peshawar Section, N-55 (142 Km) | 251.0 | 2013–2016 |
PAK | Hoshab-Awaran-Khuzadar, M-8 (410 Km) | 476.0 | 2013–2016 |
PAK | Khanewal - Lodhran - Sukkur Section, E-5 (485 Km) | 750.0 | 2013–2017 |
| Subtotal: | 5,426.0 | |
TAJ | Road from Dushanbe-Tursunzade-Uzbekistan border (62km) | 181.3 | 2012–2015 |
TAJ | Construction of the Vakhdat-Yavan Railway (40km) | 180.0 | 2012–2015 |
TAJ | Construction of Ayni-Panjakent to Uzbekistan Border (114 km) | 145.0 | 2012–2015 |
TAJ | Reconstruction of some sections of Dushanbe – Kurgan-Tyube-Dangara-Kulyab Road (243.3 km) | 550.0 | 2012–2015 |
TAJ | Construction of Railway line of Kolkhozabad-Dusti-Nizhniy Pyandzh-Afghan border (50 km) | 90.0 | 2012–2015 |
| Subtotal: | 1,146.3 | |
TKM | Construction of Dashoguz-Shasenem-Gazojak Railway | 454.0 | 2013–2015 |
TKM | Construction of Atamurat-Ymamnazar-Akina Railway | 200.0 | 2012–2013 |
| Subtotal: | 654.0 | |
Country | Project Name | Cost ($ million) | Planned Implementation Period |
UZB | Modernization of lighting system in ‘karshi’ airport | 2.0 | n/a |
UZB | Modernization of lighting system in ‘Namangan’ airport | 1.81 | n/a |
UZB | Reconstruction and modernization of ‘Navoi’ passenger terminal | 5.5 | 2011–2012 |
UZB | Reconstruction of landing strip and platform in ‘Nukus’ airport | 7.7 | 2011 |
UZB | Reconstruction of landing strip in ‘Andijan’ airport | 15.8 | n/a |
UZB | Construction of hangar for Boing-787 | 40.0 | 2014–2015 |
UZB | Reconstruction of airport complex in ‘Termez’ airport | 5.8 | 2014–2015 |
UZB | Acquisition and unification of Uzbekistan Airway aircrafts | 814.6 | 2007–2016 |
UZB | Construction of centralized filling station in ‘Navoi’ airport | 35.0 | 2013–2014 |
UZB | Reconstruction and Modernization of M39 | 167.2 | 2012–2015 |
UZB | Reconstruction P87 ‘Guzar-Chim Kukdala’ | 80.0 | 2011–2014 |
UZB | CAREC Regional Road Improvement (Phase 1) | 600 | ongoing to 2012 |
UZB | CAREC Regional Road Improvement (Phase 2) | | 2010–2015 |
UZB | CAREC Regional Road Improvement (Phase 3) | | 2012–2015 |
UZB | Acquisition of New Cargo and Passenger Locomotives | 122.5 | 2009–2011/ 2013–2014 |
UZB | Electrification: Karshi-Termez Railway Section | 388.0 | 2012–2017 |
UZB | Construction: Navoi–Uchkuduk-Sultanuizdag-Nukus Section | 149.5 | ongoing to 2012 |
| Construction: Double-track Electrified Yangier-Jizak Section | 320.7 | 2009–2013 |
| Electrification Marokand-Karshi railway section | 208.4 | 2011–2016 |
| Electrification Marokand-Navoi-Bukhara railway section | 443.9 | 2014–2018 |
| Subtotal: | 3,408.0 | |
| GRAND TOTAL: | 22,518.0 | |
* Domestic-funded projects in some member-countries are not included in the list. ** Projects in other areas such as urban development, which may direct or indirect regional impact, are not included. AFG = Afghanistan; AZE = Azerbaijan; CAREC = Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation; KAZ = Kazakhstan; KGZ = Kyrgyz Republic; MON = Mongolia, MTPP = Medium Term Priority Project; n/a = not applicable; PAK = Pakistan; TAJ = Tajikistan; TKM = Turkmenistan; TTFS = Transport and Trade Facilitation Strategy; UZB = Uzbekistan. |
Annex 2: Trade Facilitation Sector Priority Projects under CAREC 2020
Country | Project Name | Cost ($ million) | Planned Approval Year for Funding |
Investment Projects |
REG | Regional Improvement of Border Services 1: Border Crossing Point Improvement and Single Window Development | 61.185 | 2012 |
REG | Regional Improvement of Border Services 2* | 155.0** | 2014 |
REG | Regional Improvement of Corridor Efficiency | 176.0 | 2014 |
REG | Regional Upgrade of SPS Measures for Trade | 176.0 | 2014 |
REG | Enhancements of IT Systems at Customs | 100.0 | |
REG | Trade and Industrial Logistics Centers with Info Exchange Systems | 300.0 | |
KGZ | KGZ Trade Logistics Project | TBD | |
Technical Assistance |
REG | CAREC: Working with Private Sector in Trade Facilitation (Phase 2; to focus on CFCFA strengthening and transport corridor performance monitoring) | 2.0 | 2012 |
REG | CAREC: Promoting Cooperation in SPS Measures | 1.4 | 2012 |
REG | Options for Regional Transit in the CAREC region | 1.5 | 2012 |
REG | Preparing the Regional Improvement of Border Services 2 Project | 1.0 | 2013 |
REG | Preparing the Improvement of Corridor Efficiency Project | 1.5 | 2013 |
REG | Preparing the Regional Upgrade of SPS Measures for Trade Project | 1.5 | 2013 |
REG | Developing Regional Cooperation Programs for PRC and Mongolia (Phase 3) | 0.8 | 2013 |
REG | Regional Interoperability of National Single Windows | 1.0 | 2014 |
REG | CAREC: Promoting PPP in Supply Chain and Multimodal Transport | 2.0 | 2014 |
| Subtotal | 12.7 | |
* Details of this project were received as proposals from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, PRC, and Uzbekistan. ** Includes KGZ Customs Modernization II proposal. * Domestically-funded projects in some member countries are not included in the list. Projects in other areas, such as urban development, which may have direct or indirect regional impact, are also not included. ADB = Asian Development Bank; CAREC = Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation; CFCFA = CAREC Federation of Carrier and Forwarder Associations; KGZ = Kyrgyz Republic; IT = Information Technology; REG = regional; PPP = public–private partnership; PRC = People's Republic of China; SPS = sanitary and phytosanitary; TBD = to be determined. |
Annex 3: CAREC Institute Work Plan 2013-2017
Table A3.1: Activities and Subject Areas for Inclusion in the CI Work Plan 2013–2014
Knowledge Pillars1 Codes | Activities and/or Subject Areas Based on Sector Work Plans (1) | Subject Areas Proposed by CAREC countries Related to Column (1) (2) | Year | Particulars |
Transport |
KG-T-01 | Study of multimodal transport systems in selected routes. | | 2013 | |
KS-T-01 | Road Safety Training. Implementation of road safety measures; non-engineering aspects of road safety; road safety management needs. | – Placement and assembly of road signs – Qualification of specialists in road safety – Traffic control in the CU – Axle road control regime management | 2013 | – All countries; – 3 participants per county |
KS-T-02 | Performance-Based Maintenance Contracting (PBMC). Road maintenance planning; concept and systems for PBMC. | – Qualification of specialists in road repair. – Asphalt mix design | 2013 (June) | – All countries; – 3 participants per county |
KS-T-03 | Road efficiency. Factors that reduce benefits from road transport investments; use of technology to reduce these barriers; levels of service and traffic management; technical measures and operating measures to reduce environmental impact | – Increasing highway efficiency through modern technology | 2013 | – All countries; – 3 participants per county |
KS-T-04 | Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in Transport Infrastructure. Policy conditions; PPPs as instrument of investment policy; formulation, evaluation, and implementation of PPP projects. | (Identified by some countries) | 2014 | – All countries; – 3 participants per county |
KS-T-05 | Transport Planning. Preparing, assessing and implementing transport policies, plans and projects at national and regional level; to include project planning, design, and appraisal of national and regional transport projects. | (Identified by some countries) | 2014 | – All countries; – 3 participants per county |
1 KG=knowledge generation; KS=knowledge services; KM=knowledge management.
Knowledge Pillars1 Codes | Activities and/or Subject Areas Based on Sector Work Plans (1) | Subject Areas Proposed by CAREC countries Related to Column (1) (2) | Year | Particulars |
KS-T-06 | Environmental and Social Safeguards in Road Projects. Social issues in transport projects (poverty, safety, access, responsiveness); safeguards against displacement and loss of economic options); environment issues in transport projects (natural habitats, physical culture, indigenous peoples, climate change), etc. | | 2014 | – All countries; – 3 participants per county |
KS-T-07 | Procurement Management in the Public Sector Planning, execution and monitoring of procurement systems; preparation of bidding documents; bid evaluation, tendering, etc. | Suggested by PAK | | |
KM-T-01 | Road Safety Data Collection and Analysis Systems. Data base development Number of accidents; number of fatalities and injuries; road user deaths, etc. | | 2013 | |
Transport and Trade Facilitation |
KG-TF-01 | Mid-Term Review of the Transport and Trade Facilitation Action Plan. | | 2013 | |
KG-TF-02 | Expert evaluation on corridor development passing through CAREC, application of best international practice on further promotion of competitiveness of Central Asian routes. Review and assessment of cargo flows; main obstacles to the growth of transit flows and measures to address them, main directions of transit cargoes, competitiveness of technical equipment and maintenance indicators, relevant market segments and role of rail companies, compliance with national legislation; recommendations on national staging of improvements in technical and operational parameters; and development of proposal to increase transit flows to Central Asia Region (CAR). | | 2013 | |
KG-TF-02 | Border control systems in CAREC’s Neighboring Countries. The study will look among others at the border control systems | | 2014 | |
Knowledge Pillars1 Codes | Activities and/or Subject Areas Based on Sector Work Plans (1) | Subject Areas Proposed by CAREC countries Related to Column (1) (2) | Year | Particulars |
| between Georgia and Turkey and other systems in neighboring countries. | | | |
KS-TF-01 | CAREC Corridor Performance Measurement and Monitoring. Training on data analysis and reporting; cost-time analysis; evaluation of competing modes; assessment of alternate routes | – Identification of inefficiencies to isolate bottlenecks in the CAREC corridors | 2013 | – All countries – 5-10 participants per country |
KS-TF-02 | Modernization of Customs Management, Customs Inspection and Management Legal framework for customs; simplified and harmonized customs procedures and clearing systems; modern customs control, risk management processes, tools and skills. | – Customs laws and clearance procedures – Customs control of cargo and transport vehicles in sea ports and free zones – Goods under the customs transit procedure – Taking adequate measures to decrease smuggling and other customs violations – electronic declaration and IT applications in customs | 2013 | – All countries – 5-10 participants per country |
KS-TF-03 | Post-Customs Control. Systems audit techniques for importers/exporters | – Customs clearance of cargo under multimodal transport systems | 2013 | – All countries – 5-10 participants per country |
KS-TF-04 | Trade Logistics and Procedures for Logistics Practitioners. Efficiency and quality of logistics services; customs procedures from a freight forwarders’ perspective. | – Training for road carriers, freight forwarders, and logistics services providers – Customs procedure from a logistics provider/ freight forwarders’ perspective | 2013 | – All countries – 5-10 participants per country |
KS-TF-05 | FIATA Standards and International Best Practices. International best practices in freight forwarding. | – Adoption and standardization based on international best practices in freight forwarding and logistics services | 2014 | – All countries – 5-10 participants per country |
KS-TF-06 | Single Window Strategic Development and Implementation. Policy and program formulation; private sector involvement in single window; development of appropriate country approaches. | – Policies on paperless trade and single window environment – Familiarization for private | 2014 | – All countries – 5-10 participants per country |
Knowledge Pillars1 Codes | Activities and/or Subject Areas Based on Sector Work Plans (1) | Subject Areas Proposed by CAREC countries Related to Column (1) (2) | Year | Particulars |
| | sector involved in single window – Country-appropriate high-level approach to developing single window solutions | | |
KS-TF-07 | Trade Awareness for Border Control Staff. Awareness of trade practices and priorities to promote cooperation within the confines of legislation and practice; awareness of bilateral customs cooperation agreements to improve capability to deal with customs offenses and facilitate legitimate trade | – Trade practices and priorities for border control staff – Cross-border trade and bilateral customs cooperation agreement | 2014 | – All countries – 5-10 participants per country |
KM-TF-01 | CAREC Corridor Performance Measurement and Monitoring (CPMM) Conference. An event to promote greater awareness of the CPMM to various sectors (policy-makers; freight forwarders, customs organizations, and business organizations); discuss means to improve and maintain the quality of the CPMM. | | 2013 | |
Energy |
KG-E-01 | Central Asia-South Asia Energy Corridor. Study of interconnection options; cost-effective solutions for efficient energy resource utilization; elimination of summer/winter deficit; meeting of energy demand. | | 2013 | |
KG-E-02 | Design of regulatory frameworks for energy trade in the CAREC region. An assessment of existing policies and institutions for promoting energy trade in the CAREC region and implications and issues for the design of a regional framework. | | 2014 | |
KS-E-01 | Renewable Energy. Alternative energy sources; balancing CAREC’s energy portfolio; RE potentials in CAREC; successful RE projects. | (Identified by some countries) | 2013 | – All countries; – 3 participants per county |
KS-E-02 | Cross-border Metering and Control. Regional energy dispatch issues; technical and financial principles; legal and institutional implications. | – Domestic transmission structures | 2013 | – All countries; – 3 participants per county |
Knowledge Pillars1 Codes | Activities and/or Subject Areas Based on Sector Work Plans (1) | Subject Areas Proposed by CAREC countries Related to Column (1) (2) | Year | Particulars |
KS-E-03 | Regional power trade models and case studies. Power trade models; lessons for CAREC | – Regional energy management | 2013 | – All countries; – 3 participants per county |
KS-E-04 | Commercial operations of regional energy grids. Negotiations, contracting, dispatch and systems control, tariff setting, utility accounting and audit, operational efficiency, regulatory framework. | | 2014 | – All countries; – 3 participants per county |
KS-E-05 | System Planning and Optimization Software. Software application for informed decisions on technical and commercial viability, as well as prioritization. | – Forecast methods and demand modeling – Software for estimating investments in power generation – Electricity demand supply balance – Automated dispatch controls – Development of energy effective technologies | 2014 | – All countries; – 3 participants per county |
KS-E-06 | Regional Transmission Organizations. Institutional implications of energy trade; institutional models in other regions; competencies needed for these organizations. | – Corporate governance practices in energy systems – Regulation of tariffs – Regional supervisory control and development of regulations | 2014 | – All countries; – 3 participants per county |
KM-E-01 | Database on Energy Expertise and Knowledge Products in the CAREC Region Data and information on expertise (experts) as well as knowledge products (studies, master plans, models (e.g. forecasting, optimization), and software). | − Some countries identified the need for this information. | 2013-2014 | |
Trade Policy |
KG-TP-01 | Tariff policy and tariff setting. Tariffs as instruments of trade policy, classification of tariffs, the harmonized system (HS) Code, trade promotion and protection, tariff setting, etc. | - Review of tariff structure and classification; - Harmonized coding systems | 2013 | – |
Knowledge Pillars1 Codes | Activities and/or Subject Areas Based on Sector Work Plans (1) | Subject Areas Proposed by CAREC countries Related to Column (1) (2) | Year | Particulars |
KS-TP-01 | Management of institutional trade reforms. Defining policy objectives; evaluating trade offs; winners and losers from trade policy adjustments; timing and sequencing of economic policy and trade policy; legal framework for World Trade Organization (WTO) accession | | 2013 | – All countries – 3 participants per county |
KS-TP-02 | Integrated Framework. Mainstreaming trade into development strategies; selected issues on trade and development (poverty, labor, environment) | | 2013 | – All countries – 3 participants per county |
KS-TP-03 | Bilateral, regional and multilateral frameworks for trade. Principles of economic integration: unilateralism, regionalism and multilateralism; the multilateral trading system under the WTO framework; WTO agreements; different forms of economic integration. | Multilateral trading system; principles and disciplines of the WTO | 2014 | – All countries – 3 participants per county |
KS-TP-04 | Trade negotiations. Elements, identification of negotiating goals and objectives, preparing for negotiations, skills required, drafting agreements, dispute resolution mechanisms. | Identified by some countries. | 2014 | – All countries – 3 participants per county |
KS-TP-05 | Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Legal framework of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement; basic principles of the Multilateral Agreement on Trade in Goods and implications of the TRIPS Agreement; relationship between the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and WTO | Proposed by PAK as additional KS activity | | |
KM-TP-01 | IMF Methodology for Institutional Quality Index. An event to promote awareness and understanding of the index, its methodology, and interpretation. | | 2014 | |
Regional / Multisectoral |
KG-RM-01 | Profiling of CAREC Economic Corridors. Role of corridors in the movement of intra-CAREC and international trade; gaps in transport infrastructure; bottlenecks in the cross- border movement of goods; profile of existing transport support services (logistics); scale of international trade to determine the demand for transport services; | Intra-CAREC trade opportunities | 2013 | -All countries |
Knowledge Pillars1 Codes | Activities and/or Subject Areas Based on Sector Work Plans (1) | Subject Areas Proposed by CAREC countries Related to Column (1) (2) | Year | Particulars |
| existing and potential value-chains in the corridor | | | |
KG-RM-02 | Role of regional cooperation in the economic diversification strategies of CAREC Countries. | | 2013-2014 | AZE, TURK, UZB, KAZ |
KG-RM-03 | Master plans for identified economic corridors. Follow on to profiling of economic corridors (KG-RM-01) | | 2014 | |
Cross-Border Transport Agreement (CBTA) |
KS-CBTA-01 | Seminar on Transport Facilitation Arrangements in the CAREC Region. | | 2013 | – All countries; – 2 officials each |
KS-CBTA-02 | CBTA Awareness, Strategic Planning, and Policy Development Training for Senior Officials involved in the CBTA. (For Members of the National Transport and Trade Facilitation Committees) | | 2013 | – AFG, KGZ, TAJ – 2-3 days per country |
KS-CBTA-03 | National CBTA Workshops for Senior Government Officials. (For concerned ministries and central agencies) | | 2013 | – AFG, KGZ, TAJ – 1 day per country |
KS-CBTA-04 | Management Training Program for Senior and Middle Managers at Headquarters and Operational Managers in Field Operations (For border guards, customs, quarantine, and transport agencies) | -Cross border trade and bilateral customs cooperation agreements | 2014 | – AFG, KGZ, TAJ – 2-3 days per country |
KS-CBTA-05 | Training in the Operation of the CBTA for Border-Crossing Points (BCP) Management and Staff, and Regional Officials of Concerned Ministries. (For border guards, customs, quarantine, and transport agencies) | | 2014 | – AFG, KGZ, TAJ – 4-5 days per country |
KS-CBTA-06 | Development and Training of Training Officers in the Primary Border Management Agencies. (Training of trainers) | | 2014 | – AFG, KGZ, TAJ – 4-5 days per country |
Second-Tier Areas |
KG-ST-01 | Opportunities for cooperation in the second tier areas in the CAREC region. Study to include among others, areas such as communicable disease control, agriculture, disaster risk management, and climate-change adaptation and mitigation where they have a significant bearing to activities in the core areas. | Cooperation in agriculture | 2013 | |
Knowledge Pillars1 Codes | Activities and/or Subject Areas Based on Sector Work Plans (1) | Subject Areas Proposed by CAREC countries Related to Column (1) (2) | Year | Particulars |
| | | | |
KG-ST-02 | Action Plan(s) on Identified Priority Second Tier Area(s) for CAREC Cooperation. | | 2014 | |
Table A3.2: Indicative Areas for Inclusion in the CI Work Plan for 2015–2017
| | Sector | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
Knowledge Generation | Transport | Study of multimodal systems in selected routes Conduct of National Master Plans on Transport Sector Development |
Restructuring of railway sector | Liberalization of air services | |
Transport and Trade Facilitation | Development of results-based framework (and indicator system) for trade facilitation |
Modernization of border- crossing points (assessment of hardware and software requirements) | Supply chain studies in selected industries | Expanded study on cross-border trade (initial study done in four countries only) |
Special economic zones in border crossing points |
Trade Policy | Review and update of the Trade Policy Strategy and Action Plan | Assessment of trade liberalization and institutional reforms (using the trade liberalization index and the institutional quality index) | Service trade in the CAREC Region |
Energy | National and regional power sector development master plans |
| Technical operation of regional dispatch systems and alternatives | Legal and regulatory implications of regional trade dispatch | Energy-water management: issue-based regional analysis (e.g. flood management) |
| Energy corridors and inter-and intra regional linkages | Design of energy regulatory frameworks | Improved forecasting |
| National and regional grid codes | | |
Multisector/Regional | Master plans for identified priority economic corridors |
| Implications of the Customs Union (Common | Institutions for regional cooperation and | Impact of regional cooperation on economic growth: an impact assessment of the CAREC Program |
| | Sector | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
| | Economic Space) to labor migration and remittances in the CAREC region | integration in the CAREC region | |
| | | | | |
Knowledge Services | Transport | Road efficiency by modes | Standard international rail conventions | Aviation safety standards |
Standard international road conventions | Freedoms of the air | Liberalization of transport services under the GATS1 |
Analytical tools for evaluating alternative transport modes | International aviation conventions | Climate proofing of road transport |
Transport and Trade Facilitation | Simplification of road fees and other charges | Comparative regional customs transit systems | Customs automation and data exchange |
Behind the border measures | Models of joint customs control | Integrated cross-border facilitation |
Risk management, post- entry audit and customs intelligence | Facilitating cross- border movement of people | |
Trade Policy | Analytical tools in formulating policy reforms | Management of institutional reforms | Trade in services under the GATS |
Energy | Demand side management; energy efficiency; and energy conservation | Modernization of combined heat and power systems | Cross-border Clean Development Mechanism |
Sector restructuring and commercialization for energy trade | Governance, tariff adjustments and operational efficiency | Management of multipurpose water reservoirs |
Loss reduction methods in energy grids | PPPs in energy | Hydropower development in international rivers |
|
ge Ma | | Transport | Database on status of road and rail sections of | | |
1 General Agreement on Trade in Services
| | Sector | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 |
| | CAREC corridors | | |
Transport and Trade Facilitation | Forum on regional trade logistics development | | |
Trade Policy | Seminar on regional economic integration | | |
Energy | Compilation of national and regional energy efficiency statistics, policies and measures |
| Database of energy projects in the CAREC region. | Successful PPPs in energy (seminar) | International experience in transboundary river management and protection |
| | Energy trade in Africa and Latin America (seminar) | |