30 November 2011: Speaking at the opening the Silk Road Summit, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon encouraged governments of Central Asia and the South Caucasus to diversify their countries’ income sources, increase agricultural productivity, and encourage private investment. He said the Summit was an opportunity to promote sustainable, equitable development for all.

Secretary-General Ban’s comments were made by video message at the Summit, which is taking place in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from 30 November-1 December 2011. The Silk Road Summit was organized by The Economist newspaper under the theme “Trade and Investment Outlook for Central Asia and the South Caucasus.”

Ban spoke of the impacts of the global recession on Central Asia and the South Caucasus, noting that it hit them “harder than any other region.” He said the region remains overly reliant on a narrow range of income sources and needs to diversify while increasing agricultural productivity. Ban encouraged governments in the region to encourage private sector investments through regulatory frameworks and incentives. [Statement of UN Secretary-General] [UN Press Release] [Website of Silk Road Summit]