SCO members to introduce digital tech to boost trade, transport

TASHKENT. KAZINFORM The member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) intend to increase the competitiveness of their economies by introducing digital technologies that will help free movement of goods, services and capital, SCO officials said Thursday, Xinhua reports.

Plans for developing digital technologies and transport routes were discussed during the 18th meeting of the SCO economic ministers, which was held in Tashkent on Sept. 26, the officials said.

The main purpose of the meeting was to prepare the documents to be signed at the meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the member states of the SCO slated for Nov. 1-2, they said.

A new program on multilateral trade and economic cooperation of the SCO member states until 2030 has been drafted to increase the competitiveness of their economies through the introduction of digital technologies, they said.

«It is important to involve Afghanistan in the formation of transport routes in the region, which is another factor to stabilize the situation in Afghanistan and increase trade and economic cooperation between SCO countries and Afghanistan,» SCO General Secretary Vladimir Norov.

At the November meeting, the heads of the government are expected to sign 14 documents, including the one aimed at coordinating the interaction between the railway administrations of the SCO member states.