Azernews.Az

By Kamila Aliyeva

The 25th Anniversary Summit of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) was held in Istanbul on May 22.

The BSEC member states declared their readiness to contribute to the fight against terrorism and to increase economic cooperation, according to the declaration adopted following the Summit, RIA Novosti reported.

The document mainly focuses on improving multilateral economic cooperation between the Black Sea countries, enhancing the organization’s benefits from its efforts and its future priorities

The member states underlined the importance of developing cooperation "based on an approach that is more project-oriented and results-oriented in areas such as agriculture and agro-industry, banking and finance, combating organized crime, customs, education, emergency assistance, energy, environmental protection, health and pharmaceuticals, information and communication technologies, institutional renewal and good governance, science and technology, tourism, trade and transport.”

The Declaration states that the BSEC countries "support efforts to provide additional safe and reliable solutions in the field of maritime transport - future transport flows between the BSEC member states, Europe and Asia and to facilitate the participation of the economies of the BSEC Member States in global economy."

The summit participants consider that "effective implementation of specific joint projects in the field of transport infrastructure such as the ring road around the Black Sea and the sea highways in the BSEC region will promote increased investment in intraregional trade, tourism and transport, as well as contribute to the success of the BSEC."

They also called the Trans-Eurasian high-speed information highway and other projects on the development of information and communication infrastructure the main technological factors for the development of interaction.

"We note that the magnitude of the current crisis with migration and refugees is, according to the UN definition, unprecedented since the Second World War, and we pledge to demonstrate a common sense of solidarity and cooperation to meet the needs and problems of internally displaced persons, migrants and refugees in the BSEC region and beyond,” the document said.

The declaration underlines that there is an urgent need to address the causes of these massive movements of people.

BSEC is established as a model of multilateral political and economic initiative with the signing of the Istanbul Summit Declaration and the Bosporus Statement by the heads of state and government of the countries in the region, on June 1992.

The group has 12 members -- Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine.

The organization aims to enhance interaction and harmony among its members, as well as to ensure peace, stability and prosperity, encouraging friendly and good-neighborly relations in the Black Sea region.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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