USAID Competitiveness, Trade and Jobs activity in Central Asia (CTJ) facilitates trade and employment in horticulture, tourism, transport and logistics across the five Central Asian economies. By incentivizing firms to become more regionally competitive and by addressing cross-border impediments to trade, USAID helps to develop a more diverse and competitive private sector and generate export-driven growth.

MAJOR AREAS OF FOCUS INCLUDE

USAID is partnering with key private and public sector actors in each of the five Central Asian Republics to enhance competitiveness in the horticulture, tourism, transport and logistics sectors – thereby increasing exports and employment. This work is being conducted through:

INCREASING COMPETITIVENESS AND FACILITATING TRADE

USAID identifies interventions needed to increase competitiveness, exports and employment in the horticulture, tourism, transport and logistics sectors. USAID supports both policy and institutional reform with trade-related government agencies as well as cost-sharing trade facilitation initiatives with private firms.

C5+1

C5+1 is a platform that brings together the five states of Central Asia and the United States to discuss and work on issues of common concern. At the first C5+1 ministerial conference held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan in November 2015, the six countries agreed to develop regional projects. CTJ implements two out of five corresponding technical projects, including the Transport Corridor Development project and the Central Asia Business Competitiveness project. Under the Central Asia Business Competitiveness project, USAID is working with customs and sanitary and phytosanitary authorities in the region to improve services that facilitate trade.

THE CENTRAL ASIA TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS PARTNERSHIP

USAID established a partnership of 100 private sector transport and logistics operators at the 2015 Central Asia Trade Forum to improve the quality of transport and logistics services throughout the region. USAID is working with the partnership under the Transport Corridor Development project to deliver sustainable logistics training to the sector’s workforce, particularly on the operation of multimodal logistics centers. USAID is also working with cold chain operators to strengthen cold chain management in the region.

SUPPORTING WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION (WTO) ACCESSION PROCESS

The WTO is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. WTO membership encourages greater competitiveness and trade by applying consistent application of rules and procedures throughout the world. USAID supports the WTO accession process in Uzbekistan.

CENTRAL ASIA TRADE FORUM

USAID continues supporting the Central Asia Trade Forum, an annual event for national governments and business leaders to discuss challenges and opportunities for increased trade, share innovation success stories, and network with potential customers.

CONTACTS

Svetlana Golovatskaya,
Project Management Specialist
USAID/Central Asia
Email: sgolovatskaya@usaid.gov