"The World and Japan" Database (Project Leader: TANAKA Akihiko)
Database of Japanese Politics and International Relations
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS); Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia (IASA), The University of Tokyo

[Title] JOINT STATEMENT By the Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on Future Development of Cooperation in Transport

[Place] Tashkent
[Date] November 29, 2013
[Source] Shanghai Cooperation Organization Secretariat
[Notes] downloaded on September 28, 2022
[Full text]

Guided by the provisions of the SCO fundamental documents and seeking to achieve main objectives of multilateral economic cooperation, the heads of government (Prime Ministers) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's member states emphasize the importance of continued cooperation within SCO in the field of transport.

The heads of government have confirmed that one of the key challenges at this stage is an early preparation for signing of the Agreement between the governments of SCO member states on favorable conditions for international road transport, the implementation of which will promote the development of road transport in the region, improve the transit potential of member states, boost the volume of mutual trade and investment.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is grateful to the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific of the United Nations (UN ESCAP) for supporting the negotiation process related to the elaboration of the draft Agreement between the governments of SCO member states on favorable conditions for international road transport and it confirms its intention to continue developing cooperation between the two organizations in the field of transport.

The heads of government instruct the relevant ministries and agencies of the SCO member states to continue implementing measures aimed at expanding mutually beneficial cooperation in the transport sector in accordance with the Action Plan for the implementation of the Program of Multilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation among the SCO Member States, including "pilot" projects on the development of regional transport corridors.

Given the steady growth of rail freight between the SCO member states and increased congestion of railways in the region, the heads of government have instructed to pay special attention to the rapid development of transport infrastructure, inter alia, through the implementation of joint projects on construction and commissioning of railway transport facilities.

In order to enhance the competitiveness and attractiveness of international and regional transport corridors running through the territory of the SCO member states, of particular importance is creation of the most favorable conditions for the transit growth and generation of new and effective use of existing regional international multimodal logistics centers.

The heads of government consider important to establish cooperation with the SCO observer states and dialogue partners, and involve them in the development of multilateral cooperation in transport.