ISLAMABAD - The two-day Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA) concluded on Thursday with the adoption of Islamabad Declaration, recognising Afghanistans centrality for peace and stability in Asia and endorsing the need for a comprehensive approach and participation of the international community in economic development of the war-ravaged country. The Conference was co-hosted by the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Some 24 countries and 18 regional and international organisations and institutions attended the Conference. During the Conference, besides the plenary sessions, the delegates exchanged views in five technical working groups on mining, labour movement and human resource development, health, energy infrastructure and transit trade. The heads of delegation participating in the Conference also held a separate session to discuss a broad range of issues to chalk out a regional approach concerning Afghanistan. The Kabul Declaration on Good Neighbourly Relations and the Declaration on Counter Narcotics were endorsed as firm foundations to strengthen linkages between Afghanistan and its neighbours. It was also decided that linkages between Afghanistan and its neighbours would be further institutionalised fast track within the framework of that Declaration. The Islamabad Declaration also endorsed various recent regional initiatives and trilateral summit processes concerning Afghanistan. The Conference welcomed the signing of the Declaration on Directions of Bilateral Cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan in January 2009, and an MoU to improve trade and accession facilitation in Washington this month. The Islamabad Declaration also welcomed the revival of Jirga process for dialogue and development by Pakistan and Afghanistan while appreciating Pakistans announcement to award 1000 scholarships to Afghan students in Pakistani institutions for higher learning. The Islamabad Declaration noted the significance of the positive role played by regional organisations such as ECO, SAARC, SCO, OIC and CAREC in extending the scope of regional cooperation. The Declaration affirmed the importance of regional and international commitment to Afghanistans economic development. The conference agreed that transport, trade, energy cooperation, Agricultural cooperation, capacity building and education, border management, counter narcotics and refugee return and re-integration are areas with considerable scope for mutually beneficial regional cooperation. The Third RECCA successfully endorsed a number of concrete, long-term regional projects including Rail Link from Chaman to Kandahar, CASA 1000, Hairatan-Mazar-e-Sharif Rail Link, establishment of a Customs Academy in Kabul, early conclusion of Afghanistan-Pakistan Trade and Transit Agreement and development of Border Economic Zones around Afghanistan. It was also decided that model returnee villages and vocational centres would be set up to act as pull factors for the voluntary and sustainable return of Afghan refugees to their homeland with dignity and honour. The RECCA process for the first time crystallised a regional consensus on key trans-regional cooperation projects. It is hoped that the international community, regional and international organisations, institutions and bodies would now come forward with their strong and sustained support to take these initiatives successfully forward. After the conclusion of conference, Minister of State for Economic Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar said that the RECCA would help bring stability in Afghanistan and prosperity in the region. She said this while addressing a joint press conference with Dr Jalil Shams, Afghanistans Senior Economic Minister. Secretary Economic Affairs Division (EAD) Farrukh Qayyum was also present on the occasion. Hina Rabbani Khar said that this conference was particularly hosted by Pakistan to re-emphasise the regional cooperation, among the member countries, as it is critical for the sustainable development of Afghanistan for peace and development in the region. She said that 42 delegates including from various countries and international organisations participated in the conference. She added that G-8 countries including US, Japan, UK and EU countries would also help Afghanistan in its development for peace and stability in the region. Highlighting the Afghanistan and Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (APTTA), she said that this agreement was signed some 40 years ago and it was the need of the hour to re-negotiate the agreement for the formalisation of the trade and further bring improvement and efficiency and boarder trade facilitation for the benefit of the two brotherly countries. She also said that currently the volume of trade between the two countries is only US $ 1.2 billion and the formalisation of the agreement would boost bilateral trade of the two countries. Hina Rabbani Khar said that this agreement would be finalised by the end of this year and would go a long way in the formalisation of bilateral trade between the two countries.