The 10 member countries of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program adopted a new, long-term strategic framework in 2011, CAREC 2020: A Strategic Framework for the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Program 2011–2020 (CAREC 2020). CAREC 2020 introduces three new operational priorities into the CAREC agenda, including economic corridor development (ECD). Broadly speaking, ECD focuses on how physical infrastructure can be used to catalyze and spatially organize economic activities to generate productivity and growth. Accordingly, ECD is relevant over the long term to address economic diversification, job creation, and spatial transformation. This report follows up on CAREC 2020 to operationalize ECD. Its two objectives are to (i) customize the ECD concept to the unique context of the CAREC region, and (ii) identify specific areas where ECD may be piloted.
CAREC. OPERATIONALIZING ECONOMIC CORRIDORS IN CENTRAL ASIA A CASE STUDY OF THE ALMATY–BISHKEK CORRIDOR, 2014
