Roundup: Regional economic conference wraps up in Kabul, renewing support to Afghanistan

A two-day regional economic conference on Afghanistan -- sixth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA), was wrapped up in Kabul on Friday afternoon with renewing support to Afghanistan while stressing on enhancement of trade and economic cooperation among the countries in the region.

Afghanistan is trying to revive the ancient Silk Road and "turn Afghanistan to a regional hub for connecting Central Asia to South Asia," said Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani in his remark at the conference earlier on Friday.

Under the theme of "The Silk Road through Afghanistan," the conference was opened in the country's foreign ministry compound on Thursday.

Delegates from more than 30 countries from the region and beyond and some 40 regional and international agencies, including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, attended the two- day conference to discuss economic cooperation, trade, business and the role of the private sector in boosting economic activities in the region.

"Your commitment and engagement embodies hope and trust in the future. We Afghans thank you for that," Ghani told the participants.

Speaking at the conference, the Afghan government Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah thanked the participants for their cooperation with Afghanistan and with the region.

"As our greater region undergoes change, we see the re- emergence of multiple new Silk Roads. We are eager to see them complement each other, leading to land and maritime connectivities that benefits all stakeholders."

There is no doubt that regional connectivity will be increasing with the finalization of the Lapis Lazuli and Five Nation Railway corridors. The key to getting projects off the ground is through partnerships -- public, private and a combination of both, in the contexts of bilateral, multi-lateral and regional cooperation," Abdullah said.

He stated that railway networks have played a critical role in enhancing economic development.

"Per the Economic Impact Analyses presented at this conference, there is real incentive and tangible economic benefit for all regional partners of South and Central Asia to engage in increased trade, transit, transport, energy transfer and investment along the new pathways being developed. Afghanistan stands at the crossroads, as part of the roundabout, as a key hub and a land- bridge for the realization of our collective interconnectivity," Abdullah added.

"We are working on eliminating the threats posed to security and stability in the form of terrorism, radicalism and narcotics. We are very much a victim of these scourges and appreciate the international effort to combat these threats. We do, however, need more robust measures to tackle terrorism in all its traditional and newer forms. It is not sufficient to engage in talk and promises, but fail to deliver in deed and action," Abdullah said.

Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Deng Xijun while addressing the conference said that "Afghanistan is one of the important countries along the ancient Silk Road. Afghanistan used to be the traffic hub connecting central Asia, south Asia and west Asia, and has tremendous geographical potentiality. China wishes to take the opportunity to work together with the Afghan side, to inherit and carry forward the Silk Road Spirit, to write a new chapter of the Silk Road and build the China-Afghanistan community of common destiny, so as to create a happy life for all of us."

"China is willing to play a greater constructive role in Afghanistan, continue to support the effective administration of the Afghan National Unity Government, support the reconciliation between the Afghan government and various political factions including the Taliban, support the economic and social reconstruction of Afghanistan, support Afghanistan's integration in regional cooperation, and work with the international community to make unremitting efforts to realize the successful transition of Afghanistan," Deng said.

"I wish to express my gratitude to all stakeholders coming together and meet us...The Lapis Lazuli corridor, 5 nation corridor, CASA1000 and TAPI prove to show how working together is beneficent to everyone in the region. They are landmark initiatives and we must continue," Afghan Foreign Minister Salauddin Rabbani said in his conclusion statement.

The RECCA series was initiated in 2005 and held in Kabul, New Delhi, Islamabad, Istanbul, and Dushanbe. The next RECCA summit is scheduled to be held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. Endi