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  • Joint Statement from the United States – Central Asia Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA)Council Meeting

    • Joint Statement from the United States – Central Asia Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA)Council Meeting

    November 15, 2013

    United States – Central Asia Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA)

    Meeting of the TIFA Council
    November 14, 2013

     Joint Statement

    Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Today, senior government officials from each of the TIFA Parties and Afghanistan met for the 8th United States-Central Asia Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council Meeting.  This is the second consecutive year that the TIFA Council has met in Central Asia.  The Parties reiterated their commitment to the United States-Central Asia TIFA as the key vehicle for trade and investment discussions between the United States and the countries of the region.   

    During the plenary session, the Parties discussed the overall trade and investment environment in Central Asia and the United States.  The Parties also had focused discussions on a number of areas, including: energy trade, investment, World Trade Organization (WTO) membership, customs, and procurement.  Additionally, the Parties discussed trade, transit, and investment between Central Asia and Afghanistan. 

    The United States proposed to the TIFA Council that it initiate discussions on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on joint efforts to promote the economic empowerment of women and women’s entrepreneurship.  On November 13, the TIFA working groups on customs, energy trade, and women’s economic empowerment met to discuss these issues and to plan future work. The TIFA bilateral working groups also met, worked to resolve a number of bilateral trade and investment issues, and discussed how to increase trade and investment flows during the 2013-2014 time period.

    The TIFA Council expressed its deep appreciation for the hospitality shown by the Government of Turkmenistan.

    The Parties agreed that the next TIFA Council meeting will take place in Washington, DC in 2014.