The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is an effective international mechanism for strengthening trust among countries, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at the meeting of the CIS Heads of State Council in Dushanbe. He emphasized that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory in World War II. In today’s context of geopolitical upheavals, it is essential to unite efforts to prevent crises.
«We view with concern the processes undermining the foundations of international law, the catastrophic decline in trust between states, the intensification of confrontational rhetoric, the crisis of multilateral diplomacy, and the notable weakening of the UN’s peacekeeping potential. In these conditions of geopolitical upheaval, it is critically important to unite the efforts of CIS countries and all our allies to eliminate conflict-generating factors,» Tokayev noted.
President Tokayev proposed a number of initiatives to further develop strategic partnership. He believes that to enhance the trade and economic potential of the Commonwealth, it is necessary to launch joint productions, attract investments, introduce digital solutions, and make effective use of the transit and transport potential. Notably, trade turnover among CIS countries reached $110 billion last year, while trade with Kazakhstan has increased by 1.5 times over the past five years. Transport corridors play an important role in this growth, as the region serves as a link between Europe and Asia, as well as within the global transport and logistics system.
«I propose considering the possibility of developing a unified digital transport and logistics map of the Commonwealth. This initiative will make it possible to integrate national infrastructure plans and create a cohesive space of transport connectivity, thereby providing favorable conditions for attracting substantial investment. The development of the concept for connecting major transport arteries passing through the CIS countries - an initiative put forward by Kazakhstan - is now nearing completion,» Tokayev said.
Environmental threats, natural disasters, and man-made catastrophes pose serious risks to the sustainable progress of the CIS countries. According to President Tokayev, effective tools must be used for their early detection and prevention. He proposed joining efforts to establish a regional center for forecasting climate and man-made emergencies. The Head of State also emphasized the need to develop creative industries, noting that this sector has brought more than $2 billion to the country. He proposed establishing an association of creative industries within the CIS Interstate Fund for Humanitarian Cooperation. President Tokayev also underscored the importance of strengthening the CIS’s authority on the global stage.
«At Kazakhstan’s
initiative, the CIS Observer and Partner institutions were established in 2023.
I am pleased to note that this initiative is already showing its first positive
results. Today, we will adopt a decision to grant the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) observer status. This event will open a new chapter in the
history of cooperation among Eurasian regional structures. In addition, we are
establishing the CIS Plus cooperation format, which was proposed by Kazakhstan
during the summit in Moscow. I am confident that this step will further
strengthen the role of the CIS on the international stage,» Tokayev
added.
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