TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iran’s private sector announced its readiness for joint trade cooperation with the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) member states in the post-coronavirus era.

Addressing the “Trade Prospect in the Post-Coronavirus and Necessity of Cooperation Between Private Sectors of the Member States” virtual conference held by the ACD, Deputy Head of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) for International Affairs Mohammad-Reza Karbasi said empowerment of economies of the ACD member states relies on joint determination of the member states, adding that this will possible through interaction, reform of economic structures and implementing appropriate policy-makings.

He then pointed to the important capacities of Iran like young and educated workforce, rich oil and gas sources, and special geographical position, and added that the country is some part of rich Asian civilization and the gateway for linking the East to West and announced the readiness of Iran’s private sector for joint trade cooperation with the ACD members.

He also pointed to the economic recession in the world due to the coronavirus pandemic, saying that according to the Asian Development Bank’s report, it is expected Asia’s economic growth to rich 6.8 percent in 2021 which means the insignificant recovery of the economy.

Karbasi also termed chambers of commerce as the representatives of small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) and emphasized services of the chambers for SMEs.

The launch of the permanent secretariat ACD member states, holding regular annual or biennial meetings, setting up a committee for reviewing the trade cooperation development and joint investment projects as well as developing required condition for the growth and development of the SMEs with getting technical aids from UNCTAD and ITc were of the major proposals which were raised by Mr. Karbasi.

The Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) was inaugurated in June 2002 in Cha-Am, Thailand, where 18 Asian Foreign Ministers met together for the first time. The ACD is a continent-wide forum, the first of its kind in Asia. More specifically, the ACD aims to constitute the missing link in Asia by incorporating every Asian country and building an Asian Community without duplicating other organizations or creating a bloc against others. A key principle is to consolidate Asian strengths and fortify Asia’s competitiveness by maximizing the diversity and rich resources evident in Asia. The core values of the ACD are positive thinking; informality; voluntarism; non-institutionalization; openness; respect for diversity; the comfort level of member countries; and the evolving nature of the ACD process.

Currently, the ACD comprises 35 countries, namely: the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, the Kingdom of Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, the Kingdom of Cambodia, the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of India, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Korea, the State of Kuwait, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Nepal, the Sultanate of Oman, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the State of Palestine, the Republic of the Philippines, the State of Qatar, the Russian Federation, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Singapore, the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Kingdom of Thailand, the Republic of Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Uzbekistan, and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam.