Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 17-19 November, the Economic Forum of the United Nations Special Program for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) on the theme “Sustainable transport and trade for the development of green and an inclusive economy after the pandemic”, as well as the sixteenth meeting of the Governing Council of this Program took place in Tashkent.

The SPECA Forum 2021 focused on the progress in sustainable trade and transport in the region and their potential contribution to a green, circular and inclusive economy. The purpose of the event is to intensify multilateral dialogue to achieve specific objectives, adopt regional initiatives and strategies and identify concrete practical actions for their implementation.

The event was attended by the leadership of the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Deputy Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) D. Maryasin, delegations of the SPECA member countries - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, representatives of the UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), representatives and experts of the European Union (EU), the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), as well as other countries and organizations.

Opening the plenary session of the Forum in the format of video messages, the participants were addressed by Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sardor Umurzakov, Deputy UN Secretary General and UNECE Executive Secretary O. Algayerova, as well as UN Deputy Secretary General and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific of the United Nations A. Alishakhban.

The Uzbek side noted the positive dynamics of economic cooperation with the countries of the SPECA subregion: over the past few years, the trade turnover between Uzbekistan and the SPECA member countries has doubled and reached US$5 billion, and the number of new enterprises with the capital participation of the SPECA member countries since 2017 increased 5 times, reaching 1983 units.

The measures taken in Uzbekistan to liberalize the economy, create a favorable environment for attracting investments, strengthen mechanisms for legal protection of investors and private property, as well as expand trade and economic ties with partner countries were underlined.

Priority tasks were voiced: strengthening economic ties, taking into account the competitive advantages of the economies of the SPECA member countries, increasing the total trade turnover between the countries of the SPECA subregion, the total market of which is more than 127 million people, at least twice by 2025 due to the elimination of existing trade barriers, simplification of customs procedures and development of electronic commerce.

The Uzbek side put forward a number of proposals, including the holding of the first meeting of the SPECA Working Group on Investment and Financial Cooperation in 2022 in Uzbekistan with the further transformation of this platform to strengthen regional cooperation and implementation of investment projects, development of an initiative to create a SPECA Fund to finance projects of cross-border economic and environmental cooperation, as well as the creation of the SPECA Secretariat to organize effective activities of the Organization in the member countries.

The interest of Uzbekistan in developing cooperation through the creation of interregional value chains by deepening industrial cooperation, adopting a joint program for the development of industrial cooperation, encouraging mutual investments, promoting a program for the development of renewable and hydrogen energy, developing transport and transit potential in the region through the joint implementation of large logistics infrastructure projects was voiced , the introduction of uniform tariffs and cross-transport preferences.

During the event, panel sessions were held on the topics: “Sustainable trade in the SPECA subregion”, “Application of the principles of a circular economy to sustainable transport, trade and tourism in the SPECA countries”, “Innovative mechanisms and instruments for financing investments for sustainable development”, “Expansion economic empowerment of women for sustainable development: political challenges during and after the COVID-19 pandemic for the SPECA region ”,“ Uzbekistan in the spotlight: presentation of research and projects with a focus on Uzbekistan and its role in regional cooperation ”.

As a result of the Economic Forum, the Tashkent Statement was adopted on strengthening the resilience of transport, trade and connectivity in the SPECA region to restore a greener, circular and inclusive economy after the pandemic.

Recommendations were also developed to increase the economic connectivity of the SPECA subregion, create conditions for its formation as a center of a sustainable transport system, further simplify intraregional trade procedures, accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the effective use of norms, standards and tools to promote sustainable economic growth. in the region.

The final event of the SPECA Days 2021 in Tashkent was the Sixteenth Session of the Governing Council of this Program. As a result of the meeting, the SPECA Work Plan for 2022-2023, reports of the SPECA Thematic Working Groups on water, energy resources and the environment, sustainable transport, transit and connectivity, trade, innovation and technology, gender and SDGs were adopted.

The Governing Council also adopted more than ten important decisions covering key areas of the Program's agenda, including the establishment of the SPECA Fund and Secretariat.