Central Asia Trade Forum Opening Remarks for Ambassador Pamela Spratlen

09 August 2011

Ak Keme Hotel
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
8:50-10:30

• САЛАМАТСЫЗДАРБЫ! ДОБРОЕ УТРО! Good morning!

• It is a pleasure to be here with President Otunbayeva and the many business leaders participating in this Central Asia Trade Forum. Special thanks to the experts from around the world who made the long trip to be here.

• International trade plays a critical role in economic development. Sustained economic growth in Central Asia depends on access to suppliers and customers. It's what made the Silk Road thrive for hundreds of years and it's what is needed today.

• Secretary Clinton very recently called upon the nations of South and Central Asia to "work together to create a new Silk Road" with a modern focus as "an international web and network of economic and transit connections."

• She spoke of a need to improve transportation and energy infrastructure, upgrade facilities at border crossings, and remove bureaucratic impediments to the free flow of goods and people. And, she said, "It means casting aside the outdated trade policies that we are still living with and adopting new rules for the 21st century."

• Today's event is a step towards a 21st century Silk Road, where businesses connect across borders to networks of suppliers, customers, and advisers.

• The Central Asia Trade Forum is one of many economic development projects supported by the United States government in Central Asia. As a part of our support for economic development, we to work directly with small and medium business owners to improve performance and spur growth.

• Over the past six months, we have provided training in business practices, regulations, logistics, and marketing for 55 managers and business association leaders from the Kyrgyz Republic, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The participants benefited greatly from the expert input of multinational companies such as Cannon and DB Schenker, but the most significant result was the opportunity to network and build relationships throughout the region.

• As a result of the training, business owners are combining their resources, capacities and contacts to develop new export opportunities.  For example, companies from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are collaborating to export footwear to Afghanistan. Twelve textile producers from across the region have decided to combine efforts to export their products to Russia. Also, a number of firms have established a network to help farmers differentiate their organic products in an extremely competitive international marketplace.

• Now, the Central Asia Trade Forum extends the success of the training sessions to an even wider audience of business leaders, giving them a chance to develop new relationships, discover new businesses opportunities, and initiate new cross-border trade.

• The success of the business leaders represented here today is a starting point for the 21st century Silk Road. Let us all work together to ensure a business environment that allows for economic development and achievement.

• And to the business owners - I would like to say that I greatly admire your creativity and persistence in seeking ways to grow your businesses. I hope that you leave this Trade Forum with new ideas, new suppliers or joint venture partners, and even new customers for your products or services! I look forward to hearing about your successful business endeavors in the coming months and years.

• Thank you! Спасибо! ЧОН РАХМАТ!