The heads of government reaffirmed that a key task at this stage is the soonest preparation for signature of the Agreement among the governments of the SCO member states on international road transportation facilitation, implementation of which will assist the development of road connectivity in the region, enhance the transit potential of the Organisation’s member states, boost the amount of mutual trade and investment.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is expressing gratitude to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) for supporting the negotiating process on the Agreement among the governments of the SCO member states on international road transportation facilitation, and stands ready to further develop cooperation between the two organisations in the field of transport.

The heads of government instructed the relevant ministries and departments of the SCO member states to continue the implementation of activities aimed to expand mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of transport in accordance with the Action Plan on fulfillment of the Programme of multilateral trade economic cooperation of the SCO member states, including pilot projects on the development of regional transport corridors.

The heads of government, considering the steady dynamics of increasing volumes of railway cargo deliveries among the SCO member states and growing railway congestion in the region, instructed to pay priority attention to the precipitous development of transport infrastructure by implementing joint projects on the construction and exploitation of railway transport facilities.

The creation of maximum favorable conditions for growing amounts of transit deliveries, effective use of the potential of international multimodal logistical centres operating in the region and the creation of new ones have special significance for raising the competitiveness and appeal of international and regional transport corridors stretching through the territory of the SCO member states.

The heads of government consider it important to establish cooperation with SCO observer and dialogue partner states and engage with them in the process of developing cooperation in the field of transport.

Tashkent
29 November 2013