OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan supports meeting to improve transport development

TASHKENT, 1 November 2010 - An OSCE-supported meeting that started today in Tashkent aims to improve the co-ordination of transport development across the Eurasian region.

The Office of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan supported the Euro-Asian Transport Links Expert Group meeting, organized by Uzbekistan's Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investment and Trade and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) to advance dialogue on transport facilitation and security in the region.

More than 50 participants from 10 countries and representatives of international organizations are taking part in the two-day meeting in Tashkent. On Wednesday, participants will visit a logistic centre and the free industrial economic zone in Navoi city.

"This meeting is instrumental in identifying regional priorities and needs, and it helps us and the participants streamline our future work and plan appropriate follow-up capacity building activities," said Caroline Milow, a Senior Project Officer at the Office of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan. "Transport facilitation remains a key area of engagement for the OSCE as it may bring an important contribution to the economic development of all the landlocked developing countries in Central Asia, including Uzbekistan."

During the meeting, participants will be updated on OSCE activities and plans in these areas that have been developed following the 2010 OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum, the final part of which was held in May in Prague.

The OSCE and the UNECE have long co-operated in this field and plan to publish a joint Handbook of best practices at border crossings. The two organizations also will co-organize an Inter-Regional Workshop on Developing Euro-Asian Transport Links on 7-8 December in Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan.