MINSK, 3 April (BelTA) - Ensuring stable growth of the global economy requires an innovative approach and development of a new vector of economic cooperation, Kazakhstan's Ambassador to Belarus Yerlan Baizhanov said speaking at the expert roundtable “The Unifying Potential of the SCO in the Emerging Multipolar World” on 3 April, BelTA has learned.
The diplomat also stressed that the president of Kazakhstan suggested setting up a joint SCO investment fund, which would contribute to economic and investment interaction. “Mutual trade grows thanks to the implementation of the roadmap initiated by Kazakhstan to gradually increase the share of national currencies in mutual settlements,” the ambassador said.
According to him, approaches to form a partnership network of major strategic ports and logistics centers are discussed at Kazakhstan’s suggestion in order to to unlock the transit and transport potential of the region and develop new transport corridors.
The ambassador also touched upon the problem of digital divide between the countries. “Our country has created favorable conditions for comprehensive digital transformation, and we are ready to offer our services as a digital hub in the SCO space. The first steps have already been taken. A pool of SCO technoparks and innovation clusters has been set up, and it includes the Astana Hub International Technopark for IT startups,” he said.
The head of the diplomatic mission added that Belarus, as a country with a developed IT sector, could make an important contribution to this project.
He also touched upon the global energy security, which was a problem for the entire world community.
“The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is capable of making a significant contribution to the development of mutually acceptable ways to solve it. That is why we have worked out the SCO Energy Cooperation Strategy,” Yerlan Baizhanov said. “The new directions outlined in it will contribute to the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Agenda goals, efforts to enhance energy security and study the prospects of green energy development in the context of global climate change. Here, I would like to mention the SCO Energy Forum, which was a success in Astana in October 2023.”
The diplomat also spoke about environmental problems. On the initiative of Kazakhstan, 2024 was declared the Year of Ecology in the SCO. A number of events are planned throughout the year. On Kazakhstan's initiative, a special high-level event of the SCO member states on environmental issues was held on the sidelines of the sixth session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEP-6) in Nairobi. As a result, a memorandum of partnership between UNEP and SCO was signed.
“The global environmental agenda dictates the need for join efforts to address environmental protection issues. The development of documents in ecology, protection of natural territories, effective waste management has been started at our suggestion,” the ambassador of Kazakhstan to Belarus said.
The diplomat also stressed that the president of Kazakhstan suggested setting up a joint SCO investment fund, which would contribute to economic and investment interaction. “Mutual trade grows thanks to the implementation of the roadmap initiated by Kazakhstan to gradually increase the share of national currencies in mutual settlements,” the ambassador said.
According to him, approaches to form a partnership network of major strategic ports and logistics centers are discussed at Kazakhstan’s suggestion in order to to unlock the transit and transport potential of the region and develop new transport corridors.
The ambassador also touched upon the problem of digital divide between the countries. “Our country has created favorable conditions for comprehensive digital transformation, and we are ready to offer our services as a digital hub in the SCO space. The first steps have already been taken. A pool of SCO technoparks and innovation clusters has been set up, and it includes the Astana Hub International Technopark for IT startups,” he said.
The head of the diplomatic mission added that Belarus, as a country with a developed IT sector, could make an important contribution to this project.
He also touched upon the global energy security, which was a problem for the entire world community.
“The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is capable of making a significant contribution to the development of mutually acceptable ways to solve it. That is why we have worked out the SCO Energy Cooperation Strategy,” Yerlan Baizhanov said. “The new directions outlined in it will contribute to the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Agenda goals, efforts to enhance energy security and study the prospects of green energy development in the context of global climate change. Here, I would like to mention the SCO Energy Forum, which was a success in Astana in October 2023.”
The diplomat also spoke about environmental problems. On the initiative of Kazakhstan, 2024 was declared the Year of Ecology in the SCO. A number of events are planned throughout the year. On Kazakhstan's initiative, a special high-level event of the SCO member states on environmental issues was held on the sidelines of the sixth session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEP-6) in Nairobi. As a result, a memorandum of partnership between UNEP and SCO was signed.
“The global environmental agenda dictates the need for join efforts to address environmental protection issues. The development of documents in ecology, protection of natural territories, effective waste management has been started at our suggestion,” the ambassador of Kazakhstan to Belarus said.
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