Central and West Asia to jointly tackle energy issues.

Nine countries in the Central and West Asia signed a historic declaration on Friday that would accelerate cross-border cooperation on energy issues and move the region a step closer to the creation of a regional energy market.

Energy ministers and leaders from Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan signed the 10-point declaration at the end of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (Carec) Energy Ministers' Dialogue held in Tashkent, said an Asian Development Bank (ADB) press statement.

The meeting marked the first time energy ministers from the Central and West Asia came together to discuss common regional energy challenges, the statement added.

The declaration sets the region on a faster reform path towards more liberal energy markets with greater private sector participation and investment, increased power connections and exchanges between countries, and a strong commitment to tap renewable...