The ceremony of opening the Economic Forum of the United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) “20 Years of Regional Economic Cooperation and Integration in Central Asia: Successes, Challenges and Perspectives” took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.
Participants of the two-day meeting discussed the progress achieved in the period in regional economic cooperation and integration and the plan of action to facilitate further economic cooperation and integration of Central Asia states.
The forum was organized by the Government of Turkmenistan – the current Chair of the SPECA in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia.
This forum brought together heads and specialists of various UN structures, the European Union, OSCE, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (ISAF), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the EurAsian Economic Community (EurAsEC) (EuAsEC), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), a number of regional and international organisations, diplomatic missions accredited to Turkmenistan and members of the delegations of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Azerbaijan Republic, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Turkey, the Republic of Estonia and other states. Turkmenistan was represented by cabinet ministers, deputies of the Mejlis, specialists of ministries and departments concerned, professor of the Institute of International Relations of the MFA of Turkmenistan, journalists.
The fact that the Turkmen capital hosted such a high-level international forum for the second time vividly evidences Turkmenistan’s increasing prestige in the world arena and worldwide recognition of the constructive initiatives put forward by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to tackle regional and global development issues.
In his opening remarks Jan Kubis, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), UN Under Secretary-General stated that the United Nations viewed Turkmenistan as e dependable and responsible partner that took active efforts to promote a constructive regional and international dialogue.
The distinguished guest emphasized that the SPECA Economic Forum provided its participants with an opportunity to exchange views and devise participatory approaches to facilitating regional trade. The outcomes of this meeting and the decisions adopted will contribute to developing optimal formats and stepping up effective collaboration in the SPECA member countries and in the entire region.
The reports delivered on the first day of the two-day Economic Forum spotlighted critical steps taken by SPECA member countries to integrate their economies in regional and international markets. Over the past twenty years these countries have adopted the comprehensive programmes aimed at promoting economic liberalization and economic reforms being implemented at a different pace.
In this context it was noted that Turkmenistan took consistent steps to enhance regional stability and security. Furthermore, the structural and institutional changes taking place in our country in the present epoch allow developing new industries, implementing ambitious investment projects, including on a regional scale, carrying out large-scale construction activity. All this contribute to creation of new jobs and growth of the incomes of citizens of Turkmenistan.
Those speaking at the forum underlined its role in enhancing further constructive collaboration to meet the goals of the common welfare, sustainable development and progress on regional and global scale. It was noted many economic problems should be addressed through concerted efforts for this approach ensured constructiveness of the decisions adopted, regional stability and cost-effective solutions to a wide range of economic issues.
Three sessions focusing on the role of regional cooperation and integration in the age of globalization, a contribution of economic cooperation and integration to enhancing regional stability and security and the benefits from regional economic cooperation and integration in Central Asia were conducted in the afternoon.
The agenda of the second day of the forum focused on the approaches to facilitating development of regional trade, transport and transit and attracting investment.
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The sixth session of the SPECA Project Working Group on Trade and the SPECA Regional Aid-for-Trade Implementation and Monitoring Council Meeting were conducted in the conference hall of the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations of Turkmenistan. Participants represented the UNECE, ESCAP, leading international financial structures, including the IMF, IDB, ADB and the delegations of SPECA countries.
Meeting participants delivered the reports on the progress in fulfilling the work plan of the SPECA Project Working Group on Trade, the role of the Project Working Group on Trade in implementing the decisions of the Ministerial Declaration on the Aid-for-Trade Road Map for SPECA adopted in Baku in 2010 and the other issues.
Participants of the two-day meeting discussed the progress achieved in the period in regional economic cooperation and integration and the plan of action to facilitate further economic cooperation and integration of Central Asia states.
The forum was organized by the Government of Turkmenistan – the current Chair of the SPECA in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia.
This forum brought together heads and specialists of various UN structures, the European Union, OSCE, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (ISAF), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the EurAsian Economic Community (EurAsEC) (EuAsEC), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), a number of regional and international organisations, diplomatic missions accredited to Turkmenistan and members of the delegations of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Azerbaijan Republic, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Turkey, the Republic of Estonia and other states. Turkmenistan was represented by cabinet ministers, deputies of the Mejlis, specialists of ministries and departments concerned, professor of the Institute of International Relations of the MFA of Turkmenistan, journalists.
The fact that the Turkmen capital hosted such a high-level international forum for the second time vividly evidences Turkmenistan’s increasing prestige in the world arena and worldwide recognition of the constructive initiatives put forward by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to tackle regional and global development issues.
In his opening remarks Jan Kubis, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), UN Under Secretary-General stated that the United Nations viewed Turkmenistan as e dependable and responsible partner that took active efforts to promote a constructive regional and international dialogue.
The distinguished guest emphasized that the SPECA Economic Forum provided its participants with an opportunity to exchange views and devise participatory approaches to facilitating regional trade. The outcomes of this meeting and the decisions adopted will contribute to developing optimal formats and stepping up effective collaboration in the SPECA member countries and in the entire region.
The reports delivered on the first day of the two-day Economic Forum spotlighted critical steps taken by SPECA member countries to integrate their economies in regional and international markets. Over the past twenty years these countries have adopted the comprehensive programmes aimed at promoting economic liberalization and economic reforms being implemented at a different pace.
In this context it was noted that Turkmenistan took consistent steps to enhance regional stability and security. Furthermore, the structural and institutional changes taking place in our country in the present epoch allow developing new industries, implementing ambitious investment projects, including on a regional scale, carrying out large-scale construction activity. All this contribute to creation of new jobs and growth of the incomes of citizens of Turkmenistan.
Those speaking at the forum underlined its role in enhancing further constructive collaboration to meet the goals of the common welfare, sustainable development and progress on regional and global scale. It was noted many economic problems should be addressed through concerted efforts for this approach ensured constructiveness of the decisions adopted, regional stability and cost-effective solutions to a wide range of economic issues.
Three sessions focusing on the role of regional cooperation and integration in the age of globalization, a contribution of economic cooperation and integration to enhancing regional stability and security and the benefits from regional economic cooperation and integration in Central Asia were conducted in the afternoon.
The agenda of the second day of the forum focused on the approaches to facilitating development of regional trade, transport and transit and attracting investment.
The sixth session of the SPECA Project Working Group on Trade and the SPECA Regional Aid-for-Trade Implementation and Monitoring Council Meeting were conducted in the conference hall of the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations of Turkmenistan. Participants represented the UNECE, ESCAP, leading international financial structures, including the IMF, IDB, ADB and the delegations of SPECA countries.
Meeting participants delivered the reports on the progress in fulfilling the work plan of the SPECA Project Working Group on Trade, the role of the Project Working Group on Trade in implementing the decisions of the Ministerial Declaration on the Aid-for-Trade Road Map for SPECA adopted in Baku in 2010 and the other issues.
