Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Within the framework of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), great attention is paid to the development of "soft" infrastructure, especially the digitalization of customs procedures, which are an integral factor in improving trade performance.

This opinion was expressed by the Deputy Director of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan (KazISS) Sanat Kushkumbaev during the 8th Meeting of the official centers for foreign policy studies of the OTS member states and observers in Tashkent.

According to the Deputy Director of KazISS, the digital transformation of supply chains will allow building a communication network and efficient functioning of the transport and logistics infrastructure within the Turkic world.

In this context, the expert identified a number of key digital technologies, the demand for which in the field of logistics and supply chain management will only increase in the near future.

First, according to him, in order to solve the problem of information transfer, synchronization of financial flows and ensure transparency in tracing supply chains, the scale of application of blockchain technology will increase.

Secondly, to improve the efficiency of the logistics business and optimize and accelerate the decision-making process, the need to use artificial intelligence and the Internet of things will increase.

Thirdly, the massive use of cloud technologies in logistics will improve the reliability and efficiency of operations, as well as reduce transport costs. In addition, "cloud technologies" contribute to the emergence of new services for processing, storing and transferring data.

Fourthly, the use of autonomous vehicles (unmanned vehicles), thanks to which the cost of transportation is reduced by at least 15%, which will lead to a decrease in the final cost of the goods.

In general, according to the representative of KazISS, the introduction of innovations in logistics is becoming a powerful tool for increasing the competitiveness of the transport and communication system of the OTS member countries. At the same time, this process requires harmonization and consideration of the interests of all transportation participants, including business circles and government agencies.

The expert meeting, organized for the first time in Uzbekistan by the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, brought together over 60 prominent representatives of the leading think tanks of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Hungary, as well as the OTS Secretariat.