Director's Message

Dear Friends,

When we wrap up 2024 and welcome a new year with full energy, I am pleased to share some thoughts with you.

In 2024, our team worked diligently to advance our vision and mission and achieved significant progress. I want to highlight some of our key achievements.

We have put much effort into revitalizing CI, enhancing our capacity to meet the demands of our member countries, improving institutional governance, and increasing financial sustainability—the revitalization plan aimed to address the region’s evolving needs. I am committed to fostering a culture of innovation, efficiency, effectiveness, inclusivity, and transparency to keep our work impactful and relevant.

We successfully hosted the in-person 15th Governing Council (GC) and 6th Advisory Council (AC) meetings in Almaty, Kazakhstan. We have learned invaluable insights from our GC and AC members at these gatherings, which will guide and shape our future.

In addition, the Institute successfully organized flagship events, including the 8th CAREC Think Tank Development Forum and the 4th Annual Research Conference, which focused on pressing issues such as climate change and sustainable growth and provided opportunities for experts and stakeholders to exchange innovative solutions. As the Director, I aim to position CI as a leading go-to think tank for addressing the region’s evolving challenges.

Furthermore, we completed several key research projects, including five under the CAREC Think Tank Network Research Grant Program, which provided valuable insights to guide regional policy. The ADB-CI Visiting Fellowship Program reached a new milestone. We awarded five fellowships and facilitated in-person exchanges with CI scholars for the first time at our headquarters office, strengthening our research capacity and knowledge sharing.

I look forward to expanding these opportunities.

Our digital presence significantly increased this year. We saw nearly 200,000 unique visitors and over 10 million website hits. I will continue to promote CI’s visibility as it helps us engage a broader audience and enhance accessibility.

Capacity-building remains a central focus for the Institute. In 2024, we hosted over 20 events, including the inaugural Residential Workshop on Debt Sustainability, in collaboration with key partners. These workshops, webinars, Chai Talks, and policy dialogues have strengthened CI’s role as a regional knowledge hub.

In 2024, we also moved our office to a modern business center in the Shuimogou District in Urumqi, Xinjiang. The relocation promoted our operational efficiency and strengthened our presence in the region. We will deepen our engagement with local communities and stakeholders as we settle into our new home.

Looking ahead, we will celebrate CI’s 10th anniversary in 2025. Our 2025-2026 Rolling Operational Plan will continue prioritizing research, capacity-building, and outreach in alignment with the revitalization efforts. We will leverage digital technologies, support regional climate resilience, foster inclusive growth through infrastructure connectivity, and address socioeconomic disparities.

We will also draw on insights from stakeholders and partners, key events, and consultations to develop the 2026 to 2030 strategy to forge new partnerships, meet our changing economic and social landscape, and align with the CAREC 2030 vision. I am committed to ensuring our strategies are forward-thinking, relevant, and inclusive.

The year 2025 is both challenging and exciting. As a knowledge generator, provider, and facilitator for regional cooperation and sustainable development, we will contribute to a prosperous future for the CAREC region.

I sincerely thank all our friends, stakeholders, partners, and staff. With you, we will build a bright future for the CAREC region.

Sincerely,

Charymuhammet Shallyyev

Director, CAREC Institute