CAREC Senior Officials' Meeting 2026

Welcome Remarks
Mr. Enkhbayar Jadamba
First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Development 

Setting the Stage
Ms. Leah Gutierrez
Director General, Central and West Asia Department (CWRD),
Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Moderator: Ms. Erdenetuya Darinchuluun, Director General, Trade and Economic Cooperation Policy Department, Ministry of Economy and Development, Mongolia

Presenter: Mr. Asad Aleem, Regional Head, Regional Cooperation and Integration, CWRD, ADB  (10 minutes)

Tour de Table (30 minutes)

Each CAREC NFP is allocated 3 minutes. The questions listed below are intended to facilitate the discussion:  
1. How can the CAREC Program strengthen delivery, partnerships, and financing leverage to develop a regional investment pipeline? 
2. What are the ongoing good practices in CAREC countries that ensure alignment of country programming with CAREC regional priorities and the role of NFPs in coordinating across line ministries? 
3. How can we facilitate and effectively translate good ideas into concrete project concepts, mobilize financing, and implement projects? 

Responses from CAREC Secretariat and/or Development Partners (20 minutes)

This session will discuss the progress of the Midterm Reviews of the CAREC Transport Strategy 2030 and the initial outcomes of the ongoing pre-feasibility study on the CAREC Digital Corridor, pursuant to the MOU signed in November 2025, and report on the outcomes of the latest Transport Sector Coordinating Committee Meeting (TSCC). 
 
Discussions will focus on the priorities and plans for the Borders Upgrades for Integration, Logistics and Development (BUILD) Facility, and investment plans under the CAREC Corridor 2 development approach, the ongoing e-logistics scoping studies, and other transport and digital initiatives.     

Moderator: Mr. Muhammad Ehsan Khan, Director General, East Asia Department (EARD), ADB 

Presenters:
Mr. Chen Chen, Director (Central and West Asia, East Asia and the Pacific), Transport Sector Office, Sectors Department 1, ADB (10 min)
Mr. Antonio Zaballos, Director, Digital Sector, Sector Department 2, ADB (10 min) (online) 

Tour de Table (30 minutes)

Each CAREC NFP is allocated 3 minutes. The questions listed below are intended to facilitate the discussion:  
1. How can each country contribute to and accelerate the implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects and digital/ICT initiatives (e.g., policy reforms and regulatory coherence)?  
2. What are other opportunities and mechanisms to improve transport connectivity and synergize different CAREC corridors, and how can we respond better to the evolving global uncertainties? 
3. What are the key national-level reforms needed to fully benefit from the CAREC Digital Corridor? How can we better coordinate the Digital Corridor with other partners and initiatives? 
 
Responses from CAREC Secretariat and/or Development Partners (20 minutes)

The session will review progress in implementing the CAREC Integrated Trade Agenda 2030, report the outcomes of the Joint Meeting of the Regional Trade Group and Customs Cooperation Committee, and progress of implementation of MOUs signed at the CAREC Ministerial Conference in November 2025, including the Bishkek Declaration to launch negotiations of the CAREC Trade and Investment Facilitation Partnership Agreement (CARTIF), CAREC Regional Tourism, CAREC Advanced Transit System and Information Common Exchange (CATS/ICE), the pilot of electronic certification and mutual recognition of conformity certificates; and other priority initiatives including policy reforms (WTO accession and implementation).  
 
Discussions will focus on CAREC priorities in trade policy reforms, the implementation of regional tourism clusters, and the outcomes of the CAREC session at the ADB Annual Meeting in Samarkand.
 
Moderator: Ms. Leah Gutierrez, Director General, CWRD, ADB

Presenters:
Mr. Batkhuu Idesh, State Secretary, Ministry of Economy and Development (10 minutes)  
Mr. Delgernaran Purev, Director General, Mongolian Customs General Administration (CAREC CCC Chair) (10 minutes)  

Tour de Table (30 minutes)

Each CAREC NFP is allocated 3 minutes. The questions listed below are intended to facilitate the discussion:  
1. How can each country contribute to and accelerate the implementation of trade policy and facilitation initiatives, including policy coherence and regional cooperation?
2. What regional tourism initiatives and emerging investment areas in the tourism sector can be developed under the CAREC Program?
3. How can CAREC further strengthen project delivery, partnerships, and financing leverage to accelerate implementation and maximize the regional impact of the trade and tourism investment pipeline?
 
Responses from CAREC Secretariat and/or Development Partners (15 minutes)

This session will focus on identifying country priorities, challenges, and support needs to enhance regional cooperation in the energy sector and critical minerals, and to accelerate national energy transitions across CAREC countries, and on how ADB’s new Critical Minerals-to-Manufacturing Financing Partnership Facility can provide long-term support for the development of regional value chains in CAREC. The session will also identify other opportunities to deepen regional cooperation in critical minerals, energy security, and connectivity.   

Moderator: Mr. Aiming Zhou, Deputy Country Director, PRC Resident Mission, ADB 

Presenters:
Mr. Kwang Jo (KJ) Jeong, Senior Regional Cooperation Specialist, Climate Change and Sustainable Development, ADB (10 min) (online) 
Ms. Altynay Arapova, Senior Regional Cooperation Specialist, CWRD, ADB (5 min) 

Tour de Table (30 minutes)   
 
Each CAREC NFP is allocated 3 minutes. The questions listed below are intended to facilitate the discussion:   
 
Priority Needs and Constraints: (i) What are your country’s key priorities and challenges in strengthening energy security and advancing the energy transition? (ii) What are your country’s priority initiatives related to energy connectivity, critical minerals, or value chain development? (iii) What are the key constraints (e.g., financing, infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, cross-border coordination)?  
Private Sector Engagement: (i) What are the main barriers to attracting private sector participation in your priority areas? (ii) What specific support from ADB could help address these barriers?  
Regional Cooperation Opportunities: (i) Where do you see concrete opportunities for cross-border cooperation (e.g., shared infrastructure, trade, integrated value chains)? (ii) How can CAREC facilitate progress in these areas?  
 
Responses from CAREC Secretariat and/or Development Partners (15 minutes) 

This session focuses on mobilizing finance for regional development—a key cross-cutting priority. This session will explore how CAREC can leverage innovative financing to support its investment pipeline. Discussions will include the revitalization of the Capital Markets Development Forum, expansion of regional disaster risk financing projects, the Carbon Market Readiness Plan, and the CAREC Innovation and Venture Investment Catalyst (CIVIC) Facility.  

Moderator: Government of Mongolia (TBC)

Presenters:
Mr. Mohd Sani Mohd Ismail, Director of the Finance Sector Office, Sectors Department 3, ADB (10 minutes)  
Mr. Kristian Rosbach, Senior Regional Cooperation Specialist, ADB (5 minutes), (online) 

Tour de Table (30 minutes)   
 
Each CAREC NFP is allocated 3 minutes. The questions listed below are intended to facilitate the discussion:   
 
What are the key barriers to developing deep and liquid capital markets in the region? 
How can CAREC support countries in preparing bankable projects that attract private and institutional investment, while supporting SMEs and emerging startup ecosystems, including utilizing the CIVIC facility? 
How can CAREC members collaborate to develop regional disaster risk financing solutions that enhance financial preparedness and reduce the fiscal impact of climate-related‑ shocks? 
What role can carbon markets play in financing the region’s green transition? 
 
Responses from CAREC Secretariat and/or Development Partners (15 minutes)