Chabahar corridor to give C Asia 'dependable' access to global markets: HOA

Nations taking part in the Heart of Asia summit today acknowledged the "significant" step taken by India, Iran and Afghanistan by signing the trilateral Chabahar transport pact, saying the corridor will provide "dependable" access for Central Asia to global markets.
The nations also agreed to collaborate closely in removing non-tariff barriers to trade, establishing and implementing bilateral and multilateral regional transit-trade framework agreements while underlining the "urgent" need to integrate expansion of existing bilateral trade and transit through the land route.
Countries including India in the Amritsar Declaration also welcomed the pact on jointly building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road between China and Afghanistan.

"We recognise the crucial significance of enhanced and assured sea-land access for Afghanistan to region's biggest markets. In this context, we note the significant step taken by Afghanistan, Iran and India by signing their trilateral transport and transit agreement based on sea access through Chabahar," the Declaration said.
"Once implemented, this corridor will provide additional and dependable access for Afghanistan and Central Asia to regional and global markets. We also welcome the progress made on the Lapis Lazuli corridor and believe that this will further increase the connectivity of Afghanistan," it said.
Noting Afghanistan's crucial role as a natural land bridge in promoting regional connectivity and economic integration in the Heart of Asia region, the nations also extended their support for Afghanistan's efforts to use its geographic location to enhance wider regional economic cooperation.

"We further stress that economic development will contribute to achieving lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region, and enhance regional economic integration," the Declaration said.

The nations also welcomed the implementation of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India Pipeline (TAPI) and completion of the first stage of the Asian International Railway Corridor between Imamnazar, Turkmenistan, and Aqina, Afghanistan.
Stressing the need to maximise the speed of movement of goods across the region, the countries also agreed to collaborate "more closely" in removing the non-tariff barriers to trade, establishing and implementing bilateral and multilateral regional transit-trade framework agreements.
"In this regard, we stress on the urgent need to integrate, through the land route, South Asia and Central Asia through the expansion of existing bilateral trade and transit agreement both northwards and southwards," the Declaration said.

The nations also recognised the importance of the role of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) in the economic growth of individual countries and the region as a whole.
"We commit to undertake measures to strengthen the growth of SMEs, including women entrepreneurship, and enable their expansion across borders into other countries of the region.
"To realise these objectives, we task the members of the Trade, Commerce and Investment Opportunities (CBM) to explore measures, such as simplifying customs procedures, exchanging information on regional markets and addressing tariff and non-tariff barriers, and submit a report to the Senior Officials Meetings, so as to take these ideas forward for implementation," they said in the declaration.