ASTANA – On July 1-2, regional officials from ministries of trade and economy will gather in Astana for the “Expanding Central and South Asia Regional Trade” policy conference organized by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Senior officials from the governments of Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and the United States will join experts from multilateral institutions, universities, government and the private sector from eight regional countries at the event. Kazakhstani representation will be led by Galiya Dzholdybayeva, Chairperson of the Entrepreneurship Development Committee at the Ministry of Regional Development.

The conference will address opportunities and constraints to expanding Central and South Asia’s regional trade. In spite of the strong historical economic and cultural ties that bind together the countries of Central and South Asia, the region today is one of the world’s least integrated regions economically.

Issues to be discussed at the conference include the requirements of the World Trade Organization and regional trade agreements, customs modernization, trade facilitation, tariff and nontariff barriers, agriculture and manufacturing, and incorporating private sector input into trade policy formulation.

US Government support for regional trade promotes the creation of a “New Silk Road”  developing regional markets, facilitating trade and transport routes, reducing trade policy barriers, streamlining customs and border procedures, and linking businesses and people.

Since 1992, USAID has supported local efforts to improve economic growth, governance, and the quality of health and education in Kazakhstan. For more information about our programs, and our work in Kazakhstan and elsewhere in Central Asia, visit our website at www.usaid.gov.

The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for over 50 years.

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For Media: Press is invited to attend beginning at 9am at the Rixos Hotel, 7 D. Kunayev Street, Astana. Senior officials will receive questions from the press between 11 and 11:30am. For additional information about the event, please contact Madina Nurakisheva, 8 777 470 8897, mnurakisheva@macro-project.net, www.macro-project.net.