A New Era of Regional Cooperation and Trade: A Discussion with ADB's Director General for Central and West Asia

Event in New York, NY

When: Friday, May 25, 2018, 9.00 am to 10.30 am 

Where: White & Case LLP 

1221 6th Ave, New York, NY 10020

RSVP here

Event in Washington DC

When: Tuesday, May 29, 2018, 11:30 am to 1:30 pm

 Where: White & Case LLP 

 701 13th Street, Washington, DC 20005 

 RSVP here

The Asian Development Bank's North American Representative Office, and the Central Asia Chamber of Commerce, cordially invite you to a roundtable with Mr. Werner Liepach, Director General of the Asian Development Bank's (ADB's) Central and West Asia Department, to discuss regional cooperation and the prospects for increased investment and trade in Central Asia.  

At a time when the global trading system is under attack and appears to be cracking, regional cooperation has become critical not only to promote cross-border commerce, but also to achieve broader development objectives, including the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris agreement on climate change. Indeed, stronger regional cooperation will support access to broader markets, stimulate economic growth, meet global development commitments, and promote economic and financial stability, as well as food and water security.

Mr. Liepach will discuss the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) program and its 2030 strategy. Improved relations among neighbors have brightened the regional outlook, and paved the way for many regional initiatives and international investments. CAREC is a partnership of 11 countries, supported by six multilateral institutions, working together to promote development through cooperation. With the People's Republic of China and Japan to the east, the Russian Federation to the north, and India and Pakistan to the south, there is unprecedented opportunity for CAREC member countries to emerge as a center of commerce, achieve higher levels of economic growth, and reduce poverty.

Bio

As Director General, Mr. Liepach leads ADB's engagement with Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. He oversees ADB's combined portfolio in these countries, which now stands at $18.6 billion, comprising 155 projects. Prior to his appointment as Director General, Mr. Liepach was Deputy Director General and Senior Advisor in CWRD. He also served as ADB's Country Director for Pakistan from 2011 to 2017. He joined ADB in 1992. Mr. Liepach holds a Doctorate in Economics/International Finance from the University of Konstanz, Germany, and a Master's degree in Management/Business Administration from the European School of Management Studies, France.