The first B5+1 Forum was held in Almaty

Almaty, 15 March, 2024 - The First B5+1 Forum, "Strengthening Regional Economic Integration of Central Asia through Public-Private Dialogue," was held in Almaty from 13 March to 15 March with the participation of business representatives from the Central Asian countries.

The Forum was organized by the Ministry of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan with the assistance of the Center for International Private Entrepreneurship of the United States (CIPE) in the implementation of the agreements reached by the Heads of State of Central Asia and the United States at the New York Summit C5+1 in 2023.

The main goal of the B5+1 Forum was to promote trade, investment, and trade integration in Central Asia with a view to developing the region’s economic community.

Panellists - representatives of business communities, government bodies, and the expert community - discussed regional achievements, existing development programs, and potential partnerships to strengthen the economic connectivity of the economies of Central Asia.

Representatives of American companies shared their views on investing in Central Asia in priority sectors of the economy. The two-day event enabled businesses in the region to present their vision for an inclusive and integrated economic future for Central Asia and provided governments with a region-wide perspective of the private sector to achieve the economic objectives of C5+1.

For reference: Launching the B5+1 initiative is closely linked with the agreements reached at the C5+1 summit in September 2023 and set out in the New York Declaration. The B5+1 Forum is part of the CIPE Programme "Improving the Business Environment in Central Asia" (IBECA). CIPE is affiliated with the United States Chamber of Commerce and receives funding from the United States Department of State.