Turkmenistan to host economic conference on Afghanistan

By Bahattin Gonultas and Zeynep Akyil

ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan

Political and business leaders from 40 countries are to meet in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan on Tuesday to discuss economic cooperation and ways of attracting private investment to Afghanistan.

The Seventh Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA VII) is organized by Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with Turkmen Foreign Ministry and other prominent regional and international organizations.

This year’s conference will be held under the slogan "Deepening Connectivity and Expanding Trade through Investment Infrastructure and Improving Synergy," and will focus on key aspects for the economic development of Afghanistan.

Delegations from 40 countries including Turkey are going to attend the two-day ministerial event along with high-level representatives of 30 regional and international organizations who are expected to submit their proposals on how to rebuild Afghanistan’s economy after decades of violent conflict.

The first day of the conference will see two panels, one on empowering women entrepreneurs towards access to regional and international markets, and another one on "access to markets, requirements and challenges".

The second day will be devoted to working group sessions.

According to the organizers, the region's economic leaders will also focus on challenges and bottlenecks, as well as financing and investment needs with respect to the priority projects in the key areas of energy, transport networks, trade and transit facilitation, communications, and business to business and support.