The Seventh CAREC Think Tank Development Forum
Speakers and Moderators
Shixin Chen
Vice president
Asian Development Bank
Asian Development Bank
Samad Bashirli
DEPUTY MINISTER
MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
AZERBAIJAN
MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
AZERBAIJAN
Syed Shakeel Shah
DIRECTOR
CAREC INSTITUTE
Albert F. Park
CHIEF economist
asian development bank
asian development bank
Norbert Funke
Director
CCAMTAC
international monetary fund
CCAMTAC
international monetary fund
Marzia Mongiorgi-Lorenzo
principal economist
asian development bank
asian development bank
Sarah Geraldine Micheal
country manager
world bank group
azerbaijan
Charu Bist
resident representative a.i. united nations development programme
azerbaijan
azerbaijan
Hamza Ali Malik
Director, Macroeconomic Policy and Financing for Development Division, UNESCAP
Hans Holzhacker
Chief economist
carec institute
carec institute
Farhad Taghizadeh-Hesary
associate professor
tokai university
japan
tokai university
japan
Kanako Mabuchi
Head of UNited nations Resident Coordinator's office
azerbaijan
azerbaijan
Ilham Humbatov
senior research fellow
economic scientific research institute
azerbaijan
economic scientific research institute
azerbaijan
Debapriya Bhattacharya
distinguished fellow
center for policy dialogue
bangladesh
center for policy dialogue
bangladesh
Emin Mammadov
senior researcher/economist
center for economic and social development
azerbaijan
center for economic and social development
azerbaijan
Peter Malvicini
director, center for policy research and outreach
westminster international university, uzbekistan
westminster international university, uzbekistan
Gulnaz Alibekova
deputy director
InsTITUTE OF ECONOMICS
KAZAKHSTAN
InsTITUTE OF ECONOMICS
KAZAKHSTAN
Abid Qayyum Suleri
executive director
sustainable development policy institute
pakistan
sustainable development policy institute
pakistan
Altaaf Hasham
management program liaison officer
agha khan development network
kyrgyz republic
agha khan development network
kyrgyz republic
Rustam Babajanov
deputy director
analytical center "navo"
tajikistan
analytical center "navo"
tajikistan
Charymuhammet Shallyev
head of management department
turkmen state institute of economics and management
turkmenistan
turkmen state institute of economics and management
turkmenistan
Minwen Zhang
deputy director general
international economics and finance institute
beijing, the people's republic of china
international economics and finance institute
beijing, the people's republic of china
Lidya Parkhomchik
chief expert of the eurasian studies program
institute of world economics and politics
kazakhstan
institute of world economics and politics
kazakhstan
Ghulam Samad
senior research specialist
carec institute
carec institute
Tuvshintugs Batdelger
director
economic research institute
mongolia
economic research institute
mongolia
Giorgi Khishtovani
Research director
pmc research center
georgia
pmc research center
georgia
Zeeshan Salahuddin
director for regional connectivity
tabadlab
pakistan
tabadlab
pakistan
Dolores Borisovna Tyulubekova
director of the world economy research center
economic research institute
kazakhstan
economic research institute
kazakhstan
Eldor Tulyakov
executive director
development strategy center
uzbekistan
development strategy center
uzbekistan
Natig Madatov
Research fellow
economic scientific research institute
azerbaijan
economic scientific research institute
azerbaijan
Khalid Umar
Chief of strategic planning division / CTTN Coordinator
carec institute
carec institute
.
Biographies of Speakers and Moderators are available here.
About the Forum
The CAREC Think Tank Development Forum is annually organized under the auspices of the CAREC Think Tank Network (CTTN). Every year the Forum brings together leading practitioners from think tanks, multilateral development partners, governments, and the private sector from the CAREC region to brainstorm regional challenges and provide diverse perspectives and innovative solutions to address these challenges through dialogue, experience sharing, and knowledge collaboration.
In its sixth year, the CTTDF’s main discussions will be around the growth, inclusivity and sustainability in the region. The leading regional think tanks and experts will present and deliberate upon, among others, (i) the outcomes of CTTN regional research project on "COVID-induced inequalities: education, health, digital access, and women's workforce participation." (ii) the state of progress on UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the region; (iii) climate change and green energy in the CAREC region; and (iv) geopolitical uncertainties, COVID-19, and the impact on growth and inclusivity. Lead presentations by well-known institutions and renowned experts on each topic will be complimented by country case studies by leading CAREC think tank representatives.
In its sixth year, the CTTDF’s main discussions will be around the growth, inclusivity and sustainability in the region. The leading regional think tanks and experts will present and deliberate upon, among others, (i) the outcomes of CTTN regional research project on "COVID-induced inequalities: education, health, digital access, and women's workforce participation." (ii) the state of progress on UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the region; (iii) climate change and green energy in the CAREC region; and (iv) geopolitical uncertainties, COVID-19, and the impact on growth and inclusivity. Lead presentations by well-known institutions and renowned experts on each topic will be complimented by country case studies by leading CAREC think tank representatives.
Agenda Day One - 15 September, Thursday
08:30-09:00
Registration
09:00-09:40
Session I - Opening Ceremony
Syed Shakeel Shah, Director, Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Institute
Opening remarks and Keynote address
Shixin Chen, Vice President, Asian Development Bank
Samad Bashirli, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economy, the Republic of Azerbaijan
MoU signing between the CAREC Institute and the Economic Scientific Research Institute of Azerbaijan
Samad Bashirli, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economy, the Republic of Azerbaijan
MoU signing between the CAREC Institute and the Economic Scientific Research Institute of Azerbaijan
09:40-10:45
Session II - Context Setting: An overview of CAREC Economies and how much recalibration is needed for inclusive and sustainable growth
Moderator: Norbert Funke, Director, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Mongolia Regional Capacity Development Center (CCAMTAC), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Almaty, Kazakhstan
Lead Speaker: Albert F. Park, Chief Economist & Director General, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Manila, the Philippines
Discussant I: Hans Holzhacker, Chief Economist, CAREC Institute
Lead Speaker: Albert F. Park, Chief Economist & Director General, Asian Development Bank (ADB), Manila, the Philippines
Discussant I: Hans Holzhacker, Chief Economist, CAREC Institute
10:45-11:00
Short Break
11:00-12:30
Session III: CTTN Regional Research Report - Access to Health, Education, Digital technologies, and Women's Participation in the Workforce: Case Studies from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan.
Moderator: Ms. Marzia-Mongiorgi Lorenzo, Principal Economist, Asian Development Bank, Manila, the Philippines
Speaker I: Ms. Narmina Gasimova, Grants and Programs Manager Center for Economic and Social Development (CESD), Azerbaijan
Speaker II: Ms. Gulnaz Alibekova, Deputy Director, Institute of Economics, Kazakhstan
Speaker III: Dr. Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director, Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Pakistan
Speaker IV: Mr. Peter G. Malvicini, Director, Center for Policy Research & Outreach (CPRO), Westminster International University, Tashkent, Uzbekistan (Online)
Participants' feedback and Open Discussion
Speaker I: Ms. Narmina Gasimova, Grants and Programs Manager Center for Economic and Social Development (CESD), Azerbaijan
Speaker II: Ms. Gulnaz Alibekova, Deputy Director, Institute of Economics, Kazakhstan
Speaker III: Dr. Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director, Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Pakistan
Speaker IV: Mr. Peter G. Malvicini, Director, Center for Policy Research & Outreach (CPRO), Westminster International University, Tashkent, Uzbekistan (Online)
Participants' feedback and Open Discussion
12:30-13:30
Lunch Break
13:30-14:50
Session IV: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
State of Progress on UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the CAREC Region
Lead Speaker: Ms. Charu Bist, Resident Representative a.i., United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Azerbaijan
Kyrgyz Republic Case Study: Presented by Mr. Altaaf Hasham Management Program Liaison Officer, Agha Khan Development Network (AKDN), the Kyrgyz Republic
Tajikistan Case Study: Presented by Mr. Rustam Babajanov Deputy Director, Analytical Center "NAVO", Tajikistan
Turkmenistan Case Study: Presented by Mr.Charymuhammet Shallyev, Head of Management Department, Turkmen State Institute of Economics and Management, Turkmenistan
Participants' feedback and Open Discussion
Lead Speaker: Ms. Charu Bist, Resident Representative a.i., United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Azerbaijan
Kyrgyz Republic Case Study: Presented by Mr. Altaaf Hasham Management Program Liaison Officer, Agha Khan Development Network (AKDN), the Kyrgyz Republic
Tajikistan Case Study: Presented by Mr. Rustam Babajanov Deputy Director, Analytical Center "NAVO", Tajikistan
Turkmenistan Case Study: Presented by Mr.Charymuhammet Shallyev, Head of Management Department, Turkmen State Institute of Economics and Management, Turkmenistan
Participants' feedback and Open Discussion
14:50-15:15
Short Break
15:15-16:45
Session V: Climate Change and Green Energy
Climate Vulnerabilities and the Case for Green Energy in the CAREC Region
Moderator: Mr.Ilham Humbatov, Senior Research Fellow, Economic Scientific Research Institute (ESRI), Baku, Azerbaijan
Lead Speaker: Dr. Farhad Taghizadeh-Hesary, Associate Professor; School of Global Studies, Tokai University/ TOKAI Research Institute for Environment and Sustainability (TRIES), Japan (Online)
Azerbaijan Case Study: Presented by (tbc)
People's Republic of China (PRC) Case Study: Presented by Ms. Minwen Zhang, Deputy Director-General, International Economics and Finance Institute (IEFI), Ministry of Finance, the PRC (online)
Kazakhstan Case Study: Presented by Ms. Lidya Parkhomchik, Chief Expert ofthe Eurasian Studies Program, the Institute of World Economics and Politics (IWEP), Nursultan, Kazakhstan
Participants' feedback and Open Discussion
Moderator: Mr.Ilham Humbatov, Senior Research Fellow, Economic Scientific Research Institute (ESRI), Baku, Azerbaijan
Lead Speaker: Dr. Farhad Taghizadeh-Hesary, Associate Professor; School of Global Studies, Tokai University/ TOKAI Research Institute for Environment and Sustainability (TRIES), Japan (Online)
Azerbaijan Case Study: Presented by (tbc)
People's Republic of China (PRC) Case Study: Presented by Ms. Minwen Zhang, Deputy Director-General, International Economics and Finance Institute (IEFI), Ministry of Finance, the PRC (online)
Kazakhstan Case Study: Presented by Ms. Lidya Parkhomchik, Chief Expert ofthe Eurasian Studies Program, the Institute of World Economics and Politics (IWEP), Nursultan, Kazakhstan
Participants' feedback and Open Discussion
16:45-17:00
First Day Recap
Agenda Day Two - 16 September, Friday
09:00 - 10:20
Session VI: Geopolitical Uncertainties, Covid-19, and the Impact on Growth and Inclusivity
Geopolitical Uncertainties, COVID-19, and the Impact on Growth and Inclusivity
Moderator: Kanako Mabuchi, Head of UN Resident Coordinator's Office, Azerbaijan
Lead Speaker: Hamza Ali Malik, Director, Macroeconomic Policy and Financing for Development Division, UNESCAP, Bangkok, Thailand
Mongolia Case Study: Presented by Dr. Tuvshintugs Batdelger, Director, Economic Research Institute, Mongolia
Georgia Case Study: Presented by Dr. Giorgi Khishtovani, Research Director, PMC Research Center, Georgia
Pakistan Case Study: Presented by Zeeshan Salahuddin, Director for Regional Connectivity, Tabadlab, Pakistan
Participants' feedback and Open Discussion
Moderator: Kanako Mabuchi, Head of UN Resident Coordinator's Office, Azerbaijan
Lead Speaker: Hamza Ali Malik, Director, Macroeconomic Policy and Financing for Development Division, UNESCAP, Bangkok, Thailand
Mongolia Case Study: Presented by Dr. Tuvshintugs Batdelger, Director, Economic Research Institute, Mongolia
Georgia Case Study: Presented by Dr. Giorgi Khishtovani, Research Director, PMC Research Center, Georgia
Pakistan Case Study: Presented by Zeeshan Salahuddin, Director for Regional Connectivity, Tabadlab, Pakistan
Participants' feedback and Open Discussion
10:20 - 10:40
Short break
10:40 - 12:10
Session VII: Building Alliances for Regional Prosperity
Moderator: Sarah Geraldine Micheal, Country Manager for Azerbaijan, World Bank Group
Lead Speaker: Dr.Debapriya Bhattacharya, Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Bangladesh
Discussant I: Ms. Dolores Borisovna Tyulebekova, Director of the World Economy Research Center, Economic Research Institute, Kazakhstan
Discussant II: Mr. Eldor Tulyakov, Executive Director, Development Strategy Center, Uzbekistan
Discussant III: Mr. Natig Madatov, Research Fellow, Economic Scientific Research Institute, Azerbaijan
Participants' feedback and Open Discussion
Lead Speaker: Dr.Debapriya Bhattacharya, Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), Bangladesh
Discussant I: Ms. Dolores Borisovna Tyulebekova, Director of the World Economy Research Center, Economic Research Institute, Kazakhstan
Discussant II: Mr. Eldor Tulyakov, Executive Director, Development Strategy Center, Uzbekistan
Discussant III: Mr. Natig Madatov, Research Fellow, Economic Scientific Research Institute, Azerbaijan
Participants' feedback and Open Discussion
12:10 - 12:40
CAREC Think Tank Network Progress Report
Presentation by Mr. Khalid Umar, Coordinator, CAREC Think Tank Network
Participants' feedback and Open Discussion
Participants' feedback and Open Discussion
12:40 - 12:50
Wrap up and Vote of thanks
Partners
ADB- PRC Regional Knowledge Sharing Initiative
The Economic Scientific Research Institute of the Ministry of Economy, Republic of Azerbaijan
Center for Economic and Social Development
Asian Development Bank
The Economic Scientific Research Institute of the Ministry of Economy, Republic of Azerbaijan
Center for Economic and Social Development
Asian Development Bank
About CAREC Think Tank Network
Established in 2017, the CAREC Think Tank Network (CTTN) is a network of leading think tanks from the member countries of the CAREC Program. Consistent with the CAREC 2030 objectives to promote policy dialogue among members and development partners and deliver and disseminate quality knowledge services for regional economic cooperation, the (CTTN) brings together leading regional think tanks to promote regional cooperation and integration (RCI) through shared ideas, information, and joint research. To this end, the CTTN administers a research grants program (RGP) to encourage member think tanks to undertake research on pressing regional issues and organize an annual CAREC think tank development forum (CTTDF) to serve as a platform for the exchange of ideas and knowledge.
Today the Network includes many prominent think tanks, universities and research institutions from 11 CAREC member countries (Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, PRC, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan).
Past Forums
The CAREC Think Tank Development Forum (CTTDF) is organized annually under the auspices of the CTTN. The forum has become an attractive platform for think tanks, academia, private sector and governments from the CAREC region and beyond to exchange views and knowledge on evolving regional and global policy challenges.
The First Forum: “Promoting Economic Cooperation for an Integrated Central Asia”, Almaty, Kazakhstan
20-21 June 2016
The CAREC Institute hosted the first CTTDF in June 2016 in Astana, Kazakhstan, with the theme of “Promoting Economic Cooperation for an Integrated Central Asia.” The Forum was successfully organized in partnership with Graduate School of Public Policy of Nazarbayev University and with support from ADB and the Government of Kazakhstan. The Forum focused on three main themes: i) economic prospects of Central Asia, ii) necessities, opportunities and challenges of strengthening connectivity of infrastructures in Central Asian region, and iii) building a knowledge sharing network among CAREC member countries.
The Second Forum: “Exploring Knowledge Solutions for Regional Cooperation and Integration.”, Urumqi, PRC, September 2017
September 2017
The second CTTDF was held in Urumqi, PRC, in September 2017 with the theme of “Exploring Knowledge Solutions for Regional Cooperation and Integration.” The 2nd Forum was organized in partnership with ADB and ADB-Regional Knowledge Sharing Initiative (RKSI) and discussed the topics on regional economic cooperation and integration, avenues for cooperation in infrastructure and trade, and institutional developments of think tanks in the region. During the Forum, the participants adopted the "Urumqi Declaration" - a founding document to officially establish the CAREC Think Tanks Network. For the 2nd Forum report, please visit here.
The Third Forum: “Building Knowledge Corridors along the Silk Road”, Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic
17-18 July 2018
Realizing its role as a knowledge arm of the CAREC 2030, the CAREC Institute partnered with the National Institute of Strategic Studies (NISS) of the Kyrgyz Republic to organize the 3rd CTTDF in Bishkek in July 2018 with a thematic focus on building knowledge corridors along the Silk Road. Over 100 participants deliberated on the concept of knowledge corridors as an interconnected web of thoughts and ideas of knowledge enablers (government), knowledge articulators (sector experts), knowledge generators (research entities), and knowledge transformers (business sector) to translate knowledge into tangible gains and advance regionalism for shared prosperity. For the 3rd Forum report, please visit here.
The Fourth Forum: “Trading for Shared Prosperity”, Xi'an, PRC
27-28 August 2019
The fourth CTTDF was organized in cooperation with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Regional Knowledge Sharing Initiative (RKSI) and International Economics and Finance Institute (IEFE) of the Ministry of Finance of the PRC on 27-28 August 2019 with a theme of “Trading for Shared Prosperity” in one of the ancient cities and starting points of the Silk Road, Xian, Shaanxi Province, the PRC. The Forum brought together around 130 participants from think tanks, academia, private sector, and governments to deliberate on trade expansion from increased market access, greater diversification, and stronger institutions for trade under the CAREC Integrated Trade Agenda (CITA) 2030 in the context of heightened US-PRC trade tensions and expansion of disruptive technologies. For the 4th Forum report, please visit here.
The Fifth Forum: "Economic Corridors: Pathways to Regional Growth", virtual
23-24 NOVEMBER 2021
The fifth CTTDF was organized on 23-24 November 2021 under the theme of "Economic Corridors: Pathways to Regional Growth" in collaboration with the ADB-PRC Regional Knowledge Sharing Initiative (RKSI) and the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers (TIIAME). Over 150 representatives of member governments, think tanks, universities, development partners, international organizations, and individual consultants attended the forum. The forum speakers presented their perspectives and experiences exploring the economic case for developing the economic corridors, stocktaking of progress made on CAREC and BRI corridors and learning from the best practices in comparable regions such as the Greater Mekong Sub-region, South Asia Sub-Regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Program, and sub-national level corridors in Malaysia. The forum concluded that economic corridors are important tools for creating new economies by connecting factors of production through an integrated infrastructure linking cities and countries. For the CAREC region, the development of economic corridors offers immense opportunities for growth and development. For the fifth Forum report, please visit here.