Dear Alexey Alexandrovich (A.A. Maslov - Director of the Institute of Asian and African Studies, Lomonosov Moscow State University),
Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
I am grateful for the invitation to take part in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and the opportunity to address such a representative audience. I will also try to make my humble contribution to the discussions about the prospects for developing the Greater Eurasian Partnership.
As you all know, the Asian continent is not only the largest and most populous in the world, but also the most actively developing, demonstrating the highest economic growth rates in recent years. According to Morgan Stanley analysts, in the next two years these rates will be higher than in Europe, North and South America. At the same time, Asian GDP in nominal terms is expected to increase to $39 trillion in 2023, compared to $33 trillion last year. As a result, it will exceed the size of the economy of America ($34 trillion) and Europe ($26 trillion).
Most importantly, this growth was, inter alia, triggered by consolidated efforts of countries in the implementation of projects that couldn’t have been implemented individually. The importance of multilateral processes and integration formats for achieving the goals of economic development in this millennium is increasing dramatically.
One of the “oldest”, time-tested formats of regional cooperation in Asia is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which has created a unique experience for Asia in integrating very different states to achieve common goals.
At the same time, a real “breakthrough” in regional economic development is facilitated by efforts aimed at overcoming the regional isolation that took place in the past, convergence of Asian economies with other countries and regions, and projects that contribute to the establishment of Greater Eurasia. These include, for example, the TRACECA project, various proposals of a number of countries on a new Silk Road, as well as the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Eurasian Economic Union are actively working in this field in the 21st century.
The Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) also intends to contribute to this important process.
Today CICA unites 27 Member States in a platform for pan-Asian dialogue. Our forum proposes the most comprehensive agenda, acting in five broad dimensions of interaction – military-political, new challenges and threats, economic, environmental, and human. At the same time, at least 60 percent of the agenda of the Conference is made up of economic issues, which is in the interests of the Member States and reflects their focus on developing practical cooperation.
The CICA Member States intend to launch the process of transformation of the Conference into a full-fledged international organization in order to reach a new level of cooperation. It is expected that the relevant decision will be made by the Heads of State and Government at the Sixth CICA Summit in Nur -Sultan in October 2022.
CICA has maintained partnership relations with the SCO since 2014, when a Memorandum of Understanding between the two regional associations was signed in Shanghai.
In December last year, the CICA Member States tasked the Secretariat to initiate the establishment of contacts with the Eurasian Economic Commission and ASEAN in order to establish mutually beneficial relations. We are awaiting the leaders of the SCO, EEC and ASEAN to attend the upcoming Sixth Summit.
CICA's “economic package” includes many practical activities that meet the needs of the Member States and the challenges of today's international economic agenda. Given that many CICA members are at the same time engaged in the work of the SCO, EAEU, and ASEAN, the objective of combining the efforts of these regional associations seems feasible and desirable. CICA may serve as an effective outreach platform for these organizations.
Based on the analysis of the CICA Catalogue of Confidence Building Measures, many areas of mutual interest may be identified as the most promising fields of cooperation.
First of all, given the large number of landlocked countries and the need for sustainable development, it seems promising to jointly develop transportation corridors and multimodal transportation. This would really allow for the creation of a “Greater Eurasia,” the full development of which is currently hindered by the poor development of the intercontinental infrastructure.
New and upcoming areas of cooperation, such as digitalization and information and communication technology, are closely related to transportation and the rapid and cost-effective movement of goods, capital and human resources.
Such “traditional” and important areas of interaction as economy and finance, trade and investment, the development of small and medium enterprises, and agriculture still remain relevant, especially to address such a pressing and topical problem as food security.
No economic measures can be considered effective if they do not focus on the human dimension, preserving and developing human resources. The coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated how important it is to ensure close and efficient interaction in epidemiological safety, public health, and pharmaceuticals.
Tourism is an active form of human communication, which helps nations to learn about each other, develop mutual understanding and establish cultural and economic relations between peoples and states. We believe that this direction may become a driver of interaction between CICA and international organizations of the Asian mainland.
After all, humanity cannot move into the future without addressing the issues of ecology and environment protection, a proactive climate agenda. Such development areas as energy conservation, energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy are closely related to them.
Therefore, the wide range of economic challenges and opportunities, global and regional threats and challenges, the goals of sustainable development and environment protection are indicative of the need for greater interaction and connectivity not only on the Asian continent but also across the Greater Eurasia.
Connectivity has become a critical need, particularly in light of the ongoing revolution in information and communication technology, transit and transportation communications, access to markets for capital, goods, services and labour, new scientific and technological opportunities, and the free movement of ideas and people.
I am certain that the addition of capacities of regional associations will result in their multiplication. This is objectively in the interests of states of the vast region and brings tangible dividends for all.
In closing, I would like to thank the hosts of today's Forum for an excellent event and wish further great success to all the participants of today's meeting.
Thank you for your attention.
