Executive Secretary of the European Economic Commission of the UN (UN EC) Dmitry Maryasin. Interview | As the countries of Central Asia and Azerbaijan, with the support of the UN, are overcome by geographical barriers in trade Economic development ~ 60 > on the fields of the third UN conference for developing countries that do not have access to the sea passing in Avaz, Turkmenistan, Nargis Shekinskaya from the UN news service was asked by the Deputy Executive Secretary of the European Economic Commission (UN EC) Dmitry Maryasin on how the state of the region is referred to geographical the features that put them in a disadvantage in the matters of trade. geography is not a sentence, but a call ~ 60 > “there are objective things – geography, as well as those barriers that arise, for example, conflicts in the region,” said Maryasin. – One of the striking examples is Uzbekistan. To get to the nearest seaport, the country needs to cross at least two boundaries. This makes trade and logistics extremely sensitive to political situation in neighboring countries. ~ 60 > however, according to the UN ECC representative, the possibilities for the countries of the region still exist – especially if regional cooperation, participation in international conventions and the modernization of transport and digital infrastructure. rate on open platforms 62 > 62 > 62 ~Maryasin emphasized that the countries of the region can and should use global standards and tools to compensate for their remoteness from the seas. “You can’t control whether your neighbor in the world lives or not, but you can control what UN conventions you join, what data exchange standards you use, on what principles you build the infrastructure,” he said. 60 > among such tools – transport conventions, including the convention of MDPP (TIR), electronic data exchange standards, digitalization of procedures. “This is what countries can do today,” he emphasized, adding that “the countries of Central Asia and Azerbaijan are actively connected to this work.Maryasin paid special attention to the road map on the digitalization of the Trans -Caspian corridor, adopted at the level of heads of state in 2023. This agreement provides for the introduction of Oon tools and unification of the regulatory framework within the framework of the corridor connecting China and Europe. 62 ~ east – recess, north – yug: several development routes Maryasin recalled that the transit prospects of the region lie not only in the East -West axis, but also to the south – towards India and Pakistan. “For countries such as Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, these are also an energy corridor, because the prospects for the electricity market in the direction of South Asia are very large,” he said. as for the northern route – the Trans -Siberian Railway, despite the “political turbulence”, it remains the most remains itself loaded. “Even taking into account the situation in Ukraine and sanctions, the volumes there are very large,” said the representative of the UN UN. ~ 60 > Maryasin emphasized that the UN EC does not give preference to any one corridor: “We are open to the discussion of all routes … There is no one for us one preferred “. new challenges: climate and infrastructure risks ~ 60 > 62 > 62 >Climate change has become one of the key topics of the discussion during the third UN conference on developing countries that do not have access to the sea. “Regular flooding of roads, the vulnerability of the infrastructure to landslides, sat, avalanches, drought – all this is already a reality in Central Asia,” said Maryasin. He recalled that in the region there are already up to two million climatic migrants. ~ 60 > In response to these challenges of the UN ECC, it has developed a “stress testing tool for transport infrastructure” taking into account climatic risks. The online platform based on satellite data has also been launched, which allows you to “apply routes and climatic risks to the map” for more reasonable investment solutions. 60 > “Countries are already using it,” Maryasin said. Work is underway to unite this platform with a similar system of the UN Escato system, covering the southeastern and southern Asia. Afghanistan and regional dialogue ~ 60 > 62 > 62 > 62 ~ 62With all the risks, Maryasin noted a positive trend: the countries of the region, in particular Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, are building a pragmatic policy against Afghanistan. “Trade is conducted. New transport projects begin. Yes, this is a set of risks, but this is a set of opportunities, ”he said. 60 > he emphasized that it was in the zones under the control of countries – in particular, in the field of choosing international conventions, standards and bilateral agreements – and lies the key to reducing transport costs. isolation-to the connectedness of ~ 60 > one of the most striking theses of the interview was the statement about the transformation of the region: “What we call & nbsp; frim Landlocked to Landline. This concept of binder is now on the lips of everyone … The region is really becoming more and more in a region that is not limited in its capabilities, but open to these capabilities. ” caspia and climatic threats ~ 60 > special attention in the conversation is given to the Caspian Sea. Its shallowing is an alarming signal for the transport stability of the region. “This affects the volume of cargo flow … Caspian is very prone to storms. This objectively limits the potential of ferry crossings, ”Mariasin emphasized. A decrease in water levels can require reconstruction of ports, and the future of the Trans -Caspian route is directly related to climatic stability and regional coordination. “It is necessary to actively cooperate the countries of the Caspian joint operation … It is very important to strengthen measures for the implementation of the Tehran Convention,” he said. competitiveness – not only geography Dmitry Maryasin recalled that Geography is not the only factor defining success. “This is one of the factors of competitiveness. But there are others: the quality of the business environment, the ability to certify the goods, be built into the cost of creating cost … It depends on the countries, on the business in these countries, ”he emphasized. ~ 60 > he also drew attention to the important role of the private sector in the development of transport infrastructure. “The seaport is a huge business. And the more goods passes through the port, the more profitable it is. Therefore, the interests of the port operators may not coincide with the interests of the state in whose territory this port is located, ”explained Maryasin. ~ 60 > according to him, the return of port infrastructure to business management can solve the access problem for countries that do not have access to the sea. “The private sector is interested in the ports more, work more flexibly and have the maximum number of customers,” he said. 60 > as an example, he cited the experience of Kazakhstan, which owns the segment of one of the Chinese sea ports. “In fact, this means that Kazakhstan already has a seaport,” added Maryasin. Thus, even for countries without a geographical access to the sea, possibilities are opened – subject to partnership and investment openness.