Nine Central, West Asian Nations Ink Energy Cooperation Declaration

Nine Central, West Asian Nations Ink Energy Cooperation Declaration

Nine West and Central Asian nations signed on Saturday a declaration on energy cooperation, a stepping stone to a joint energy market, a spokeswoman for the Asian Development Bank (ABD) told Sputnik

DUSHANBE (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2019) Nine West and Central Asian nations signed on Saturday a declaration on energy cooperation, a stepping stone to a joint energy market, a spokeswoman for the Asian Development Bank (ABD) told Sputnik.

Energy ministers of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan inked the 10-point paper in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe.

"These countries signed a historic declaration that will streamline cross-border energy cooperation and is a step forward toward creating a regional energy market," Tatiana Evstifeeva of ADB's Tajikistan resident mission said.

The declaration is expected to speed up liberal energy reforms that will open up the Central Asian energy market to private actors and foreign investment, encourage closer ties, experience exchange and transition to green energy, she said.

The signatories are members of the ADB-led Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program, which aims to promote regional development through cooperation. It has mobilized over $34.5 billion in investments since its inception in 2001.