DUSHANBE, November 27, 2012, Asia-Plus — Government leaders and researchers from Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, together with intergovernmental organizations and financial institutions working in Central Asia have gathered in Bangkok for the 2012 SPECA (United Nations Special Program for the Economies of Central Asia) Economic Forum that is being held on November 27-28, press release issued by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) said.
Under the theme “Strengthening Regional Economic Cooperation and Integration in Central Asia by Sharing the Asian Experience”, the 2012 SPECA Economic Forum aims to learn from the successes and challenges of regional economic integration in similar blocs, particularly the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS).
The event, convened by UNECE and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), will discuss ways to harness regional integration to drive the post-2015 global development agenda in the countries of Central Asia.
SPECA addresses key economic and environmental cooperation issues among its members, directly influencing sustainable development, stability and security in the region. Following the June 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), SPECA is facilitating stronger regional cooperation aimed at balancing the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development as pledged by world leaders at the Conference.
On the eve of the Forum, on November 26, the Seventh Session of the SPECA Project Working Group on Trade was held. The meeting, in particular, discussed the challenges to the development of regional trade and investment in SPECA countries, and reviewed the implementation of the Baku Ministerial Declaration on Aid for Trade. Presentations of concepts and methodologies for trade facilitation and paperless trade implementation were also be provided.
The meeting is the first co-chaired by Turkmenistan, together with Tajikistan, thus marking an enhancement of Turkmenistan’s contribution to regional trade development and policy cooperation.
As part of the Program’s role in supporting the reconstruction and stabilization efforts in Afghanistan, a side event titled “Review of Work in the SPECA Framework in Support of Implementation of the Decisions of the Fifth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan” took place on November 26.
The Forum will be followed by the 7th session of the SPECA Governing Council, the top policymaking body of the Program, which was set up in 1998 to speed up integration of the Central Asian countries into the world economy. The Governing Council will review the program of work, set priorities for future work and elect the next Chair (country).
