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They include Pakistan, China, Afghanistan and several Central Asian countries in the region of Central Asia’s regional economic cooperation. The region was once praised by ancient silk road. It is still capable of becoming an important transit for trade, transport and economic growth.
CAREC is not just a geographical area. It is also a development platform headed by the Asian Development Bank. Launched in 2001, the CAREC program helps its 11 member states work together to improve communication, promote trade and support sustainable development. Its purpose is to reduce poverty and reduce poverty and promote prosperity by facilitating people, goods and ideas to move across the borders.
The program focuses on practical areas such as better roads and railway construction, facilitate customs methodology, improve energy access and encourage regional cooperation in areas such as agriculture, education and climate flexibility. It works through cooperation between governments, research institutes and development partners. The ADB is playing a central role in funding and harmony.
Despite this effort, Carec is one of the lowest affiliated regions in the world. Except for China, trade in its member states is only 7 % of their total trade, while ASEAN is 22 %. This space highlights the serious challenges that still exist, including weak infrastructure, scattered policies, political tensions and lack of confidence in neighbors.
These problems were recently visible when tensions between Pakistan and India led to the closure of the border and the suspension of air travel. This not only affected direct trade between the two countries but also interrupted regional trade routes that connect South and Central Asia.
There are some positive news well. China helped resume talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which led to the restoration of diplomatic relations and the appointment of ambassadors. This is an important development, because Afghanistan is a key bridge between Central and South Asia.
In the same complex regional environment, the 5th Annual Research Conference of the CEREC Institute was held in Islamabad on May 29-30. The conference gathered more than 200 participants from the entire region. These included researchers, government officials, business leaders and development professionals. The theme of the conference was: Cerec Connectivity: Promoting trade and trade facilities.
The program has been widely made possible by the efforts of a Pakistani economist, Dr. Ghulam Samad, who is a senior research specialist at the Carec Institute. He played a central role in organizing the conference and ensuring strong regional participation. “We wanted to gather everyone for a serious dialogue about the future of the region,” says Dr. Samad. Islamabad was the right place for it. “
Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal also spoke at the conference. He emphasized that geographical proximity can be a great benefit, but only if the member states are willing to work together. He said that the biggest obstacles to the trade were not physical borders or roads, but a lack of slow procedures, red tapes and harmony. As long as there was a political will, these issues can be solved, he said.
More than 30 research papers were presented by scholars from China, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Topics include green transport, trade reform, energy transfer and comprehensive development. A clear message came: Making roads is not enough. Real regional cooperation requires joint rules, smooth customs process and stable political relations.
There are real opportunities. Carec countries have big young population and natural resources. They are attracting investment in transport and energy. The new strategy, such as the Carec Transport Strategy 2030, aims to build better roads.
An important sector of dialogue was China -Pakistan economic transit. Although it is often known as a bilateral project, the conference experts said the CPEC could benefit the entire region. From its roads, railways and pipelines to ports and global markets, land lock countries like Uzbekistan and Tajikistan can find land lock countries. In today’s uncertain world, where traditional trade routes are becoming unstable, projects like CPEC offer new hope.
Another positive example was the implementation of Pakistan’s TIR (Transport International Ox Rotors) system that helps trucks easily and safely transfer goods across the borders. Pakistan is also working on digitalizing its customs system and building logistic centers to support regional trade. These efforts, which are in collaboration with partners such as the ADB and the CAREC Institute, are initiatives towards a modern and effective trading network.
The biggest obstacle is political distrust. The absence of most regional trade efforts of India, including the CPEC and the CERC, is a huge difference. Its limited trade with neighbors and tensions with both China and Pakistan have made progress. The recent closure of the recent border between India and Pakistan is a reminder of how critical cooperation is still in the region.
Nevertheless, organizations like the Carec Institute offer their way forward. In China, China, the institute supports its member states through research, training and policy dialogue. It focuses on five major fields: economic stability; Trade and transport corridors; Infrastructure; Agriculture and water; And human development.
One of the highlights of the Islamabad Conference was to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the Carec Institute and the University of Sargodha. The purpose of this agreement is to promote educational cooperation and encourage research that supports better policy -making. Such a partnership helps enhance the confidence and knowledge needed for long -term cooperation.
The Carec region still faces many challenges. Infrastructure is developed in many countries. This region is also at high risk of climate change, which is the threat of floods, droughts and increasing weather. Many of its economies relies heavily on only a few exports. This makes their economies less stable. Global political and economic uncertainty further complicates matters.
At the same time, there are real opportunities. Carec countries have big populations and vast natural resources. They develop transport and energy investment. The new strategy, such as the Carec Transport Strategy 2030, aims to develop better roads, ports and railways. Green, increasing focus on more sustainable growth.
The Islamabad Conference showed that despite the tensions, the pace of cooperation is increasing. The Carec is at a crossroads: This region can choose between the rest of the scattered and moving so that the more connected and a prosperous future can move forward. The conversation in Islamabad was a step in the right direction but a lot needs to be done. If Member States focus on practical steps, such as aligning trade rules, investing in infrastructure and softening the border procedures, they can make real progress. As a delegation wisely said, “You can build a road in five years, but it may take longer to build trust.”
The author is an Islamabad journalist, researcher and media trainer. Former Daniel Pearl/AFPP colleague, he shared the LA Times in the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News. He tweets @iconi
