CAREC Institute and IICA Convene Roundtable to Advance Regional Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development
The CAREC Institute and the International Institute for Central Asia (IICA) co-hosted a roundtable discussion in Urumqi on 16 July 2026. Themed “Uzbekistan and CAREC: Advancing Sustainable Development Partnerships and Preventing Vulnerable Groups from Falling Back into Poverty,” the hybrid forum brought together experts from China and Central Asia to discuss practical approaches to regional development.
In their opening remarks, CAREC Institute Director Charymuhammet Shallyyev and Javlon Vakhabov, Deputy Advisor to the President of Uzbekistan on Foreign Policy and Director of IICA, noted that poverty eradication is an ongoing process. They encouraged regional stakeholders to strengthen connectivity and translate knowledge into practical solutions to prevent backsliding into poverty.
During the session, experts from China and Uzbekistan exchanged insights and shared practical experiences. Uzbek specialists from the Center for Economic Research and Reforms under the Presidential Administration, the Institute for Macroeconomic and Regional Studies under the Cabinet of Ministers, the Center for Transport and Logistics Development Problems under the Ministry of Transport, and IICA discussed CAREC’s role in regional integration. They highlighted the development of cross-border transport corridors and inclusive economic policies as key factors for Uzbekistan’s economic growth.
Chinese experts from the China International Poverty Reduction Center, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (Central Asia-China Poverty Alleviation Cooperation Center), the Overseas Agricultural Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences shared their insights on China’s poverty reduction progress and international cooperation, Xinjiang’s poverty alleviation practices, agricultural technology-driven poverty reduction, and technological interventions for grassland restoration in Central Asia, offering valuable practice for regional poverty reduction and sustainable development. Furthermore, CAREC Institute Senior Research Specialist Yao Yixin shared lessons learned from China’s cooperation with Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) on poverty reduction, noting that these insights can support efforts to narrow regional development gaps and jointly advance the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Following the seminar, the CAREC Institute and IICA officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), establishing a framework for long-term cooperation. CAREC Institute Deputy Director One Li Kouqing stated that the Institute will continue to serve as a vital link, facilitating regular academic exchanges and policy-oriented research, fostering connectivity and mutual benefit among CAREC member countries, and jointly promoting regional prosperity and sustainable development.