DUSHANBE, May 12, 2014, Asia-Plus -- A Tajik delegation, led by Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Aslov, is participating in the first two-day Economic Forum and Arab Cooperation with Central Asia (CA) and Azerbaijan that kicked off in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh on May 12, according to the Tajik MFA information department.

While in Riyadh, Tajik delegation is reportedly expected to hold a number of bilateral meetings.

Meanwhile, Gulf Daily Mail reports that dignitaries, ministers, Arab League Secretary General, foreign affairs, finance and economy from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as well as Arab financial institutions and federations are participating in the first Economic Forum and Arab Cooperation with Central Asia and Azerbaijan.

This meeting is reportedly being held in implementation of a decision of the Arab League to hold the forum in order to enhance cooperation between the two groups in the political, economic, cultural and scientific fields in addition to the participation of ministries of foreign affairs, finance and economy, as well as financial institutions, commerce, industry and agriculture chambers, business council from the two parties which will hold their meeting on the fringes of the forum.

A number of cooperation agreements between the Arab League and Central Asia countries and Azerbaijan are expected to be signed on the sidelines of the event.

According to information posted on the Council of Saudi Chambers’ website, a joint meeting for Arabian chambers of commerce with their counterparts from Azerbaijan and Central Asia’s nations took place in Riyadh on April 30.  The meeting reportedly came as part of the preparations for the economic forum for cooperation between Arab countries and Azerbaijan and Center Asia.  

It was reportedly recommended that an economic conference should be organized every two years as well as an annual meeting for secretary generals of chambers, in addition to forming a joint Arab-Central Asian-Azerbaijani business council to push economic cooperation between these countries even further.  The meeting also emphasized the importance of government funding, particularly to the industrial sector in Central Asia, and creating industrial cities to attract Arab investors into the region, especially seeing Saudi Arabia’s expertise in this regard.