ORGANIZATION OF THE BLACK SEA ECONOMIC COOPERATION

Transcription

1 ORGANIZATION OF THE BLACK SEA ECONOMIC COOPERATION Permanent International Secretariat Darüşşafaka Caddesi, Seba Center İş Merkezi, No: 45, Kat 3, İstinye, Sarıyer Istanbul, Turkey Tel: +90 (212) ; Fax: +90 (212) : info@bsec-organization.org BS/JCDM/C(2018)2 COORDINATION MEETING OF THE BSEC CHAIRMANSHIP-IN-OFFICE, THE COMMITTEE OF SENIOR OFFICIALS, BSEC RELATED BODIES AND BSEC PERMIS BSEC Headquarters, 12 July 2018 CONCLUSIONS 1. Following the initiative of the BSEC Chairmanship-in-Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Coordination Meeting of the BSEC Chairmanship-in-Office, the BSEC Committee of Senior Officials, BSEC Related Bodies and the BSEC PERMIS was held at the BSEC Headquarters, on 12 July The following BSEC Member States attended the Meeting: Republic of Albania Republic of Armenia Republic of Azerbaijan Republic of Bulgaria Hellenic Republic Republic of Moldova Romania Russian Federation Republic of Serbia Republic of Turkey Ukraine 3. The following BSEC Related Bodies participated in the Meeting: Parliamentary Assembly of BSEC (PABSEC) BSEC Business Council (BSEC BC) Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) International Centre for Black Sea Studies (ICBSS)

2 4. The BSEC PERMIS Staff also participated in the Meeting. The list of participants is attached as Annex I. 5. The Meeting was chaired by H.E. Mr. Anar HUSEYNOV, Director of the Department of Economic Cooperation and Development at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan. 6. The draft agenda of the Meeting was discussed and adopted. The agenda, as adopted, is attached as Annex II. Finalization of the BSEC Calendar of Events 7. The participants discussed and amended the BSEC Calendar of Events prepared for the period of the BSEC Chairmanship-in-Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan (1 July 31 December 2018). The said document is attached as Annex III. Information on the current and prospective activities of the BSEC Related Bodies and exchange of views on the coordination of activities of the BSEC family of institutions 8. The representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BSEC, the BSEC Business Council, the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank, and the International Centre for Black Sea Studies informed the participants on their ongoing and upcoming activities. Presentation of the Priorities of the BSEC Chairmanship-in-Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan 9. The chairman of the meeting presented the priorities of the BSEC Chairmanship-in- Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan in an open session to the representatives of the BSEC Member States, BSEC Related Bodies, Observers and Sectoral Dialogue Partners. The text of the Priorities of the Chairmanship is attached as Annex IV. 10. The presentation of the priorities was followed by the reception hosted by the Chairmanship-in-Office at the BSEC Headquarters.

3 Annex I to BS/JCDM/R(2018)2 COORDINATION MEETING OF THE BSEC CHAIRMANSHIP-IN-OFFICE, BSEC COMMITTEE OF SENIOR OFFICIALS, BSEC RELATED BODIES AND BSEC PERMIS BSEC Headquarters, 12 June LIST OF PARTICIPANTS - NAME / SURNAME TITLE / POSITION / INSTITUTION TEL / FAX NUMBERS / CHAIRPERSON H.E. Mr. Anar HUSEYNOV Director, Economic Cooperation and Development Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs MEMBER STATES Tel: anar.huseynov@mfa.gov.az REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA Ms. Antonela DHIMOLEA Head, Regional Initiative Unit, Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania Tel: antonela.dhimolea@mfa.gov.al REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA Mr. Ashot KOCHARIAN Director, Department for Multilateral and Bilateral Economic Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Tel: a.kocharian@mfa.am Mr. Igor MARTIROSYAN Counsellor, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Armenia to the BSEC Tel: +90 (212) Fax: +90 (212) i.martirosyan@mfa.am

4 REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN H.E. Mr. Anar HUSEYNOV Director, Economic Cooperation and Development Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tel: anar.huseynov@mfa.gov.az Mr. Mesim HACIYEV Mr. Rashad NOVRUZ Consul General, Consulate General of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Istanbul Head, Regional Economic Cooperation Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tel: +90 (212) Fax: +90 (212) istanbul@mission.mfa.gov.az Tel: Tel: r_novruz@mfa.gov.az REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA Mr. Ramiz HAJIZADA Ms. Mariana PETROVA Third Secretary, Consulate General of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Istanbul Head, Regional Cooperation Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria Tel: +90 (212) Fax: +90 (212) rhajizade2014@ada.edu.az Tel: Fax: mariana.petrova@mfa.bg HELLENIC REPUBLIC REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA Mr. Ioannis PAPPAS Counsellor for Economic and Commercial Affairs, B2 Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Eugeniu VIZIR Director, Regional Cooperation Division General Directorate for European Integration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova ROMANIA Ms. Gagea ANDREEA Attaché, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania RUSSIAN FEDERATION Mr. Radu DIACONIUC Ms. Andrey PODELYSHEV Consul, Consulate General of Romania in Istanbul Consul General, Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Istanbul Tel: Fax: b02.bsec@mfa.gr Tel: eugen.vizir@mfa.md Tel: +90 (212) andreea.gagea@mae.ro Tel: +90 (212) Fax: +90 (212) radu.diaconiuc@mae.ro Tel: +90 (212) Fax: +90 (212) ozel-kalem@mail.ru

5 REPUBLIC OF SERBIA REPUBLIC OF TURKEY Mr. Aleksei CHEKMAREV Attaché, Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Istanbul Ms. Sandra VUJINOVIC Consul, Consulate General of the Republic of Serbia in Istanbul Mr. Mustafa Osman TURAN Deputy Director General for Multilateral Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tel: +90 (212) Fax: +90 (212) ; Tel: +90 (212) Tel: +90 (533) UKRAINE Mr. Sergii KRAVCHENKO Consul, Consulate General of Ukraine in Istanbul Tel: +90 (212) RELATED BODIES PABSEC Mr. Miltiadis MAKRYGIANNIS Deputy Secretary General Tel: +90 (212) Fax: +90 (212) BSEC BC Mr. Selcuk AKAT Chairman of the Business Council, Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEİK) BSTDB Mr. Valery AKSENOV Director, External Relations and Communications Tel: +90 (212) Fax: +90 (212) aliya.valieva@adco.com.tr Tel: Fax: ICBSS Ms. Georgia CHANTZI Research Fellow, International Centre for Black Sea Studies (ICBSS) Tel: Fax: gchantzi@icbss.org

6 OBSERVERS FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY Mr. Erich SCHMID Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Istanbul HUNGARY Mr. Tamás TORMA Deputy Consul, Consulate General of Hungary in Istanbul BLACK SEA COMMISSION EUROPEAN COMMISSION Ms. Iryna MAKARENKO Mr. Vincent-Guillaume POUPEAU Pollution Monitoring and Assessment (PMA) Officer, Permanent Secretariat Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution (Bucharest Convention) Political Counsellor, Delegation of the European Union to Turkey Tel: +90 (212) Fax: +90 (212) Tel: +90 (212) Tel: Tel: Fax: Mobile: Tel: +90 (312) (ext. 145) Fax: +90 (312) SECTORAL DIALOGUE PARTNERS BSEC-URTA Mr. Adrian ALBU Secretary General of BSEC-URTA Tel: +90 (212) Fax: +90 (212) Mr. Alpdoğan KAHRAMAN Deputy Secretary General of BSEC- URTA BSEC PERMIS Tel: +90 (212) Fax: +90 (212) BSEC PERMIS Mr. Michael B. CHRISTIDES Mr. Traian CHEBELEU Ambassador, Secretary General Ambassador, Deputy Secretary General Tel: +90 (212) Fax: +90 (212)

7 Dr. Sergei GONCHARENKO Mr. Teimuraz ANTELAVA Mr. Bratislav DORDEVIC Mr. Yevgen KOZIY Mr. Kanan MURTUZOV Ms. Rositsa STOEVA Mr. Edouard PANOIAN Ms. Evgenia LOGIOTATOU Deputy Secretary General Legal Advisor Ambassador, Executive Manager Project Coordinator Executive Manager Executive Manager Executive Manager Secretary

8 Annex II to BS/JCDM/R(2018)2 COORDINATION MEETING OF THE BSEC CHAIRMANSHIP-IN-OFFICE, BSEC COMMITTEE OF SENIOR OFFICIALS, BSEC RELATED BODIES AND BSEC PERMIS BSEC Headquarters, 12 July 2018 (11:00-13:00) AGENDA 1. Adoption of the Agenda 2. Finalization of the BSEC Calendar of Events (Closed Session) 3. Information on the current and prospective activities of the BSEC Related Bodies and exchange of views on the coordination of activities of the BSEC family of institutions (Closed Session) 4. Adoption of the Conclusions of the Meeting (Closed Session) 5. Presentation of the priorities of the BSEC Chairmanship-in-Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the BSEC Member States, Related Bodies, Observers and Sectoral Dialogue Partners (Open Session)

9 Annex III to BS/JCDM/R(2018)2 As of DRAFT BSEC CALENDAR OF EVENTS CHAIRMANSHIP-IN-OFFICE OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN (JULY DECEMBER 2018) COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF BSEC (CMFA) Informal Meeting of the BSEC Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs Meeting of the BSEC Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs September (TBC) New York first decade of December MINISTERIAL AND OTHER HIGH-LEVEL SECTORAL MEETINGS Baku Meeting of the Ministers in charge of Transport Second half of October Baku Meeting of the Ministers in charge of Culture 22 November (TBC) Belgrade High-level Meeting on ICT Promotion 5 December Baku Meeting of the BSEC TROIKA, BSEC Related Bodies and BSEC PERMIS COMMITTEE OF SENIOR OFFICIALS OF BSEC Coordination Meeting of the BSEC Chairmanshipin-Office, BSEC Committee of Senior Officials, BSEC Related Bodies and BSEC PERMIS 12 July BSEC HQ 12 July BSEC HQ Meeting of the BSEC Committee of Senior Officials First half of October (TBC) BSEC HQ Meeting of the BSEC Committee of Senior Officials December Baku MEETINGS OF THE SUBSIDIARY ORGANS OF BSEC Working Group on Organizational Matters (1) September BSEC HQ Working Group on Budgetary and Financial Issues 27 September BSEC HQ Working Group on Environmental Protection 28 September (TBC) BSEC HQ Ad Hoc Working Group on Massive Forest Fires September-October (TBC) BSEC HQ (TBC) Ad Hoc Working Group on Floods and Torrents September-October (TBC) BSEC HQ (TBC) Working Group on Banking and Finance September/October (TBC) BSEC HQ (TBC) Working Group on Transport (back-to-back with the Ministerial Meeting) Working Group on Trade and Economic Development Second half of October Second half of October TBD BSEC HQ (TBC) Working Group on Customs Matters Second half of October BSEC HQ (TBC)

10 Joint Meeting of the Working Group on Trade and Economic Development and the Working Group on Customs Matters (back-to-back with the meetings of the respective Working Groups) Second half of October BSEC HQ (TBC) Working Group on Cooperation in Science and Technology 19 October (TBC) BSEC HQ (TBC) Working Group on Agriculture and Agro-industry 23 October BSEC HQ Working Group on Institutional Renewal and Good Governance Working Group on Cooperation in Emergency Assistance October/November (TBC) October/November (TBD) (TBD) BSEC HQ Working Group on Cooperation in Tourism 2 November BSEC HQ Meeting of the Network of Liaison Officers on Combating Crime (back-to-back with the WG on Combating Crime) Working Group On Combating Crime, in Particular in its Organized Forms Working Group on Education (back-to-back with the Workshop on Establishing A Cooperation Network in The Field Of Quality in Higher Education ) 8 November (TBC) BSEC HQ 9 November (TBC) BSEC HQ 13 November (TBC) BSEC HQ (TBC) Working Group on Culture 21 November (TBC) Belgrade Working Group on Organizational Matters (2) November/December BSEC HQ MEETINGS OF STEERING COMMITTEES, TASK FORCES AND OTHER SIMILAR EVENTS Steering Committee on Facilitation of Road Transport of Goods in the BSEC Region (back-toback with the Seminar on the Development of Intermodal Transport) Meeting on the Implementation of the Project BSEC PERMIT System 20 September BSEC HQ October/November BSEC HQ BSEC-EU INTERACTION Ad Hoc Working Group of Experts on BSEC-EU Interaction (back-to-back with the Meeting of the BSEC CSO) October (TBC) (half day, ) BSEC HQ Informal BSEC-COEST Meeting November (TBC) Brussels INFORMAL BSEC COORDINATION MEETINGS AND OTHER SIMILAR EVENTS Coordination Meeting of the BSEC Communication Officers for the Implementation of the BSEC Public Communication Strategy (back-to-back with the Meeting of the BSEC CSO) October (TBC) (half day, ) BSEC HQ 2

11 MEETINGS OF THE BSEC RELATED BODIES PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE BLACK SEA ECONOMIC COOPERATION (PABSEC) 51st Economic, Commercial, Technological and Environmental Affairs Committee Meeting 51st Cultural, Educational and Social Affairs Committee Meeting 52nd Legal and Political Affairs Committee Meeting 52nd Plenary Session of the PABSEC General Assembly September Kyiv 2-3 October Sofia October Kavala November Yerevan BSEC BUSINESS COUNCIL (BSEC BC) Board of Directors Meeting TBD TBD BLACK SEA TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT BANK (BSTDB) 20 th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors 1 July Sochi Business Forum 2 July Sochi Board of Directors Meeting September Thessaloniki Board of Directors Meeting November Thessaloniki INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR BLACK SEA STUDIES (ICBSS) Meeting of the ICBSS Board of Directors November (TBD) Athens OTHER EVENTS (for participation of interested Member States) BSEC-FAO Workshop on promotion of Agri-food trade in the BSEC Region GFCM Working Group on Black Sea and Workshop on assessment of management measures for Black Sea case studies July BSEC HQ July Burgas Workshop on Startups and Innovations September (TBC) Baku IRU BSEC-URTA UNECE Seminar on International trade and transport facilitation through digitalization of procedures, hosted by the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan 5 September 2018 Baku 12 th International Black Sea Container Summit 6 September Odessa International Maritime Forum September Batumi Information Sharing, Workshop on Blue Growth Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) in the Black Sea Region (proposed by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Second half of September (depending on the meeting schedule of the BSEC Working Groups BSEC HQ 3

12 Seminar on the Development of Intermodal Transport (back-to-back with the Meeting of the Steering Committee on Facilitation of Road Transport of Goods in the BSEC Region) FAO/GFCM High-Level Meeting on Small-Scale Fisheries International Black Sea Transport Forum (coorganized by BASPA) The Black Sea region as a crossroads of modern trade routes (ICBSS Event) 19 September BSEC HQ September Malta September Odessa October (TBD) Athens 6 th Baku International Humanitarian Forum 4-5 October Baku 12 th Azerbaijani International Exhibition on Education 4-6 October Baku 34 th General Assembly of BSEC-URTA TBD TBD The 11 th Annual International Conference on Energy and Climate Change Policies 8 th UNWTO International Meeting on Silk Road Tourism 17 th Summit of the International Organization of La Francophonie October Athens October Thessaloniki October Yerevan Rhodes Model Regional Co-operation October Rhodes Workshop on Sustainable Aquaculture in BSEC Countries (proposed by the Turkish Ministry of Food Agriculture and Livestock) Workshop for Young Diplomats from the BSEC Member States October Izmir October Istanbul 2018 Black Sea Oil and Gas Conference October Bucharest 21 st International Specialized Exhibition "TransUkraine 2018 Workshop on Project Promotion of the Environmental Sector in the Black Sea region October Kyiv October/November (TBC) Bulgaria 2 nd BSEC Month of Culture 2018 (ICBSS Event) 1-30 November Athens Workshop for SME Support Models in the Field of Medium High-High Technology Products Which 6 November (TBC) BSEC HQ Have Added Value (proposed by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, KOSGEB/SME Development) Regional Workshop on Blue Economy November (TBC) Istanbul (TBD) IRU World Congress November Muscat, Oman Workshop on Establishing A Cooperation Network 12 November (TBC) BSEC HQ 4

13 in The Field Of Quality in Higher Education (organized by the Turkish Council of Higher Education, back-to-back with the Working Group on Education) Training on Narcotic Crimes Investigations, - Narcotics Training Academy (NTA) in collaboration with the Directorate General of Security (proposed by the MFA of Turkey) International Congress on World Civilizations and Ancient Routes November 2018 Turkey November Sofia VII Saint Petersburg International Cultural Forum November Saint Petersburg 29th Meeting of Energy Charter Conference and Ministerial Meeting November Bucharest Training on Drug Types, Current Routes and Trends - Narcotics Training Academy (NTA) in collaboration with the Directorate General of Security (proposed by the MFA of Turkey) 3 rd UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture November 2018 Turkey 3-4 December Istanbul BAKUTEL - 24 th Azerbaijani International 4-7 December Baku Exhibition and Conference on Telecommunications, Innovation and High Technologies 91st Session of the Danube Commission 12 December Budapest Training in Risk Analysis and Drug Search Techniques at Airports - Narcotics Training Academy (NTA) in collaboration with the Directorate General of Security (proposed by the MFA of Turkey) December 2018 Turkey GFCM/FAO Forum on Fisheries Science in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea Training in Risk Analysis and Drug Search Techniques in Narcotic Crimes - Narcotics Training Academy (NTA) in collaboration with the Directorate General of Security (proposed by the MFA of Turkey) Training Programmes on Water Wastewater Treatment proposed by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Forest and Water Affairs) NOTES: December Rome, FAO HQs December 2018 Turkey National Holidays in Azerbaijan: 2018 (TBC) Istanbul August (Wednesday Thursday), 9 November (Friday) and 31 December (Monday) 5

14 PUBLIC HOLIDAYS OF THE BSEC PERMIS: Kurban Bayramı - (Feast of the Sacrifice) Zafer Bayramı - (Victory Day) Cumhuriyet Bayramı - (Republic Day) Christmas and Boxing Day New Year's Eve August 2018 (Monday Friday) 30 August 2018 (Thursday) 29 October 2018 (Monday) December 2018 (Monday - Wednesday) 31 December 2018 (Monday) 6

15 Annex IV to BS/JCDM/R(2018)2 Priorities of the Chairmanship-in-Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) July 1 December 31, 2018 Chairmanship-in-Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation will last from 1 July until 31 December of At the core of its Chairmanship-in-Office, Azerbaijan will put the objective of further strengthening BSEC through streamlining the ongoing work aimed at implementing the provisions of the Organisation based on its Charter, BSEC Economic Agenda: Towards an Enhanced BSEC Partnership as the document that defines strategic objectives of the Organization, the targets set by the Istanbul Summit Declaration, which was adopted on the occasion of the 25 th Anniversary Summit, and the resolutions, decisions and recommendations adopted by the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs. Reforms within BSEC and improving efficiency of the Organization During its Chairmanship in the Organization, Azerbaijan will pay a particular attention to the following important issues which have a considerable impact on the BSEC activities: - Continuation of the reform process launched within the framework of the Organization, acceleration and completion of the process concerning the outstanding issues with regard to the finalisation of discussion on the contents of Statutory Documents, and, where required and feasible, taking up additional endeavours towards streamlining and increasing the efficiency of the activities of working groups, steering committees and Permanent International Secretariat (BSEC PERMIS); - Endorsement of a relevant provision in the Statutory Documents reflecting on the need to ensure a representation of all Member States in the BSEC PERMIS; - Further promoting the transformation of BSEC into a project and result-oriented Organization. With this objective and in order to improving the implementation mechanism of projects, additional methodology of improving a selection, approval, and funding criteria and procedures on projects; - Ensuring a solidified, inclusive, and pragmatic approach towards improving and, if proven necessary, re-designing mechanisms of and interaction between project financing, development, and management facilities; - Strengthening efforts towards facilitation of trade, improvement of border-crossing procedures, and acceleration of trade operations and multiplying trade flows within BSEC. For that purpose, finalising and endorsing a draft Regional Trade Facilitation Strategy for the BSEC Region and a draft Framework for Single Window Cooperation by the Council of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs (a sectoral part of this paper will highlight the need for that in some details); 1

16 - Managing the BSEC budget more effectively and ensuring its use in accordance with the objectives defined by the resolutions of the BSEC Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in order to ensure a financial sustainability of the Organization; - Promoting stronger coordination between BSEC and its Related Bodies, Observers and Sectoral Dialogue Partners, as well as raising the efficiency of its cooperation with regional and international organizations and initiatives strictly in line with the core objectives of BSEC and its priority areas of cooperation; - Strengthening practical and result-oriented cooperation between BSEC and the UN institutions, specialized agencies, foundations and programs in the fields of mutual interest provided they constitute core objectives of BSEC and its priority areas of cooperation; - Ensuring a co-sponsorship with the Member-States of the Organization of the particular Resolution on cooperation between the BSEC and the UN, which will be submitted for adoption at the forthcoming UN General Assembly; - Supporting efforts to attract international financial organizations and institutions, as well as investors from private sector to the implementation of investment or trade related projects within BSEC. Sectoral Priorities Boosting Trade through Connectivity will be the motto of this Chairmanship. Transport, including transportation, being a cornerstone of a trade-creating policy measure across the BSEC region, Chairmanship will to a great extent address the issue of a regional connectivity. Transport The development and promotion of feasible, efficient, reliable, and safe transit and transportation services in the BSEC region, including the use of new technologies and online trade and infrastructure related systems, will constitute a key priority during the Chairmanship. The Chairmanship will support the endeavours within the Organisation towards improving the competitiveness of transport routes passing through the BSEC region, increasing the volume of transportation by different modes of transport and a synergy of multi-modality between them, reducing the time spent on import, export, and transit operations, and simplifying bordercrossing procedures will be at the heart of the Chairmanship sectoral agenda. Besides, it is Chairmanship s belief that in support of fostering stronger trade flows, attracting Black Sea Trade and Development Bank s regional financial or infrastructure project financing expertise, including but not limited to its engagement with a private sector, will also provide a necessary institutional and financial complementarity, as well as a reinforced feeling about a regional ownership over transport or trade related projects. To achieve these goals, the activities of the BSEC Working Groups on Transport and on Customs Matters, the Steering Committee on the Development of the Black Sea Ring Highway, the Ad-Hoc Working Group on the Development of the Motorways of the Sea, and the Steering Committee on Facilitation of Road Transport of Goods in the BSEC region will be on focus. In 2

17 the meantime, to ensure a consistent and rules-based coverage of sectoral activities, the Chairmanship will also support the implementation of joint declarations, resolutions, decisions and recommendations adopted during by the BSEC Council of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and at the meetings of the BSEC Ministers of Transport. Particular attention will be paid to the development of international transport routes across the region. In so doing and in order to stimulate bigger trade flows within the BSEC region and with the markets of other neighbouring regions, the Chairmanship will address the issue of stepping up the efforts for the implementation of such projects as Motorways of the Sea and Black Sea Ring Highway, whose delivery will help to achieve a full usage of load-bearing capacity of rail-ways, sea ports and highways. At the same time, considering the importance of launching Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway into full operations on October 30, 2017 and its subsequent linking with Bulgaria and Greece through the Marmaray tunnel infrastructure in Turkey will enable a new direct, fast, and reliable railway connection across the BSEC region. In this respect, Chairmanship-in-Office intends to pay a significant attention to the issue of trade corridors within the Organization. The Chairmanship-in-Office will promote the idea of holding a joint meeting of the Working Group on Trade and Economic Development and the Working Group on Customs Matters for the discussions on practical ways to simplify trade and multimodal transportation, harmonization and standardization of trade and shipping documents, as well as exchange of documents electronically, harmonization of indicators, and increasing efficiency of trade portals and single-window mechanisms. The meeting of the ministers of transport of the BSEC Member States will be held in Baku together with the meetings of the subsidiary bodies to discuss the above-mentioned issues set by the Chairmanship and to adopt the relevant decisions and recommendations. Agriculture Bearing in mind that over the past few years, Azerbaijan and some other BSEC Member States have made significant progress in the field of agriculture and there is a considerable potential of enhancing export capacity of agricultural goods, the Chairmanship believes this sector represents another real opportunity and one of underestimated priority areas of regional cooperation. Chairmanship-in-Office will support the efforts towards strengthening cooperation between the BSEC Member States in the field of agriculture, as well as activities within the framework of the Working Group on Agriculture and Agro-Industry, towards intensifying the use of new technologies and sustainable food systems, whose application will help to significantly improve food security and reduce negative impacts on environment, preventing soil degradation and ensuring a consistent harmonization of supply and demand for agricultural and food production. In order to promote achievement of these goals, Chairmanship-in-Office will provide support to ongoing discussions on the implementation of the priorities on agricultural cooperation stated in "BSEC Economic Agenda: Towards an Enhanced BSEC Partnership", which also account for strategic objectives of the Organization. 3

18 Chairmanship will support the work done so far in the Organization in this area of cooperation and will be guided by the principle of creating a consistent result-oriented working environment in line with the provisions of declarations of the meetings of the Ministers of Agriculture of the BSEC Member States. As one example, in support of the provisions of the Declaration adopted at the Meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture of the BSEC Member States held on May 17, 2017 in Istanbul and taking into account the importance of sustainable water resources management necessary for healthy food production, Chairmanship-in-Office considers it vital to advance the issue of cooperation in the field of efficient use and management of water resources in order to ensure a comprehensive and coherent approach in the matters relating to agricultural and agro-industrial sector. Chairmanship-in-Office also intends to present the Memorandum of Understanding between the BSEC and Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN to the next meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers for final approval. In this regard, the Chairmanship believes that strengthening cooperation between the BSEC and FAO also through implementation of mutually interesting projects is one of the priority areas of activities of the BSEC Secretariat. It is our strong belief that by tapping into opportunities presented by such inter-institutional cooperation with FAO, there should be a result-oriented approach to starting a project, which could potentially contribute to a growth in intra-regional trade in agricultural goods. In addition to that, emphasizing the importance of addressing the issue of food security across the region, Chairmanship proposes that a relevant Working Group holds an exchange of views on matters pertaining to this area of cooperation (policy-making, exchange of practices and best standards, facilitation of import and export procedures of agricultural goods, etc). Tourism Building on the confidence that regional tourist flows represent an increasing opportunity for income, rural development, and improvement of the services sector, the role of tourism has been identified by the Chairmanship of Azerbaijan as one of the key areas of cooperation. Chairmanship will highly welcome and promote a focused approach on tourism and its economic impact namely, activities which aim at increasing the potential for sustainable development of tourism sector and improving business-to-business, business-to-people, and people-to-people contacts. Chairmanship will consider and help to streamline the initiatives and ongoing projects existing between BSEC and UNWTO. Therefore, putting into life the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two organizations in 2014 will be a driving force of attention. Chairmanship will take a stock of the work done so far in the Organization in this area of cooperation and will be guided by the principle of advancing and ensuring the implementation of the provisions of the declarations adopted in the recent meetings of the Ministers of Tourism of the BSEC Member States. 4