UN SPECA to hold series of events in Turkmenistan

A number of events are scheduled to be held in the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat by the UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) in November 2019, Trend reports referring to the Turkmen Foreign Ministry.
In this regard, a meeting was held in Geneva, Switzerland between the ambassadors of the SPECA countries and the Turkmen side to discuss matters regarding the organization’s upcoming events as part of Turkmenistan’s chairmanship in the SPECA economic forum this year.
In particular, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Olga Algayerova drew attention to issues regarding the establishment of the SPECA Fund.
In their speeches, the heads of UNECE divisions called for active participation in initiatives and projects carried out both at the regional and sub-regional levels (referring to SPECA) in the field of the environment, in transport, forests and trade, the information reads.
SPECA was established in 1998 in accordance with the Tashkent Declaration signed by presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, as well as executive secretaries of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
Later, the SPECA was joined by Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Afghanistan.
Matters regarding the improvement of communication capacities in the SPECA region, including those between Afghanistan and the countries of Central Asia, are subject of regular discussions during the sessions.
It is known that the creation of quality infrastructure positively influences economic growth, promotes the expansion of trade, optimizes the use of natural resources and reduces production and logistics costs.
At the same time, the growing importance of regional cooperation also affects the increase in the competitiveness of countries in conditions of rapidly changing global processes, the SPECA said in a message.