Al Jasser: Most political barriers in Central Asia, Caucasus removed

Central Asian and Caucasus countries have eliminated most of their political barriers, Muhammad Al Jasser, President of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, said during the Group's 51st Annual Meetings in Baku, Report informs.

According to him, after independence, the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia found themselves in a geographically complex, landlocked environment. While this reality cannot be changed, it must be addressed for economic development.

Al Jasser added that the region's states have taken important steps and achieved notable results, realizing that overcoming the political and economic fragmentation inherited from the Soviet era was essential. Integration, he stressed, became the only viable path forward, as fragmentation was not a model any country would choose.

Despite geographic challenges, regional states began strengthening ties with neighbors, removing many political obstacles, and implementing transformative projects that benefit not only individual countries but the entire region, the official noted.

Al‑Jasser highlighted the growing number of hydropower projects, which expand electricity generation and improve water resource management, positively impacting agriculture. He emphasized that maximizing these benefits requires cooperation among neighbors. Integration, he said, is far more effective than fragmentation, spreading prosperity within and beyond the region.

He added that similar integration processes are underway in West, East, and North Africa, as well as the Middle East, with IsDB supporting such initiatives. For example, energy projects under the Gulf Cooperation Council, including links between Saudi Arabia and Egypt, are expected to expand to Syria, Jordan, Türkiye, and Europe, potentially playing a key role in Europe's energy supply.