13 Oct 2022 10:00

Kazakh president urges CICA to focus on unlocking transit potential

ASTANA. Oct 13 (Interfax) - Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has urged members of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) to focus on the use of their transit and transport potential.

"Convenient, accessible cargo transportation routes are an important factor of the sustainable growth of our economies. It is important that we concentrate on the use of our transit and transport potential by working out diversified routes of communication and delivery of goods," Tokayev said at the 6th CICA summit on Thursday.

Kazakhstan sets ambitious goals and hopes for close cooperation and support by other members during its two-year presidency in the CICA, he said.

"I view the decision to establish the CICA council on sustainable interconnection as timely. Disruptions in global supply chains are forcing us to take a fresh look at building efficient transit and transport corridors," Tokayev said.

He proposed that the CICA Financial Summit be transformed into a permanent body.

"The Financial Summit was initiated by the People's Republic of China to boost financial cooperation between CICA members. The transformation of the Financial Summit will contribute to the economic recovery, the sustainable, inclusive development, and the emergence of favorable conditions for regional and sub-regional financial cooperation in the CICA," Tokayev said.

Large financial centers in Shanghai, Dubai and Astana are successfully operating in the CICA area, he said.

"Their potential can be fully used to achieve the declared objectives," Tokayev said.