This year's forum spotlighted pivotal priorities, emphasizing the urgency of addressing climate change, harnessing cutting-edge technologies, and advancing sustainable transport and energy solutions.
Photo: ESCAP UN
The Dushanbe Declaration was adopted after the economic forum and the meeting of the Governing Council of countries participating in the UN Special Program for Central Asian Economies (SPECA) in Tajikistan, according to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), The Caspian Post reports citing Trend.
At the forum, delegates from Central Asian nations highlighted the imperative for enhanced regional synergy in the realm of sustainable development. They pledged to bolster collaboration across pivotal sectors, including energy, digital trade transformation, trade harmonization, entrepreneurial support, the advancement of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), water resource management partnerships, and the establishment of dynamic innovation ecosystems.
"SPECA should become an attractive platform for 'green' investments and contribute to stimulating sustainable growth," UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana said at the forum.
This year's forum spotlighted pivotal priorities, emphasizing the urgency of addressing climate change, harnessing cutting-edge technologies, and advancing sustainable transport and energy solutions.
During the discussions, delegates highlighted how climate change impacts the economy and ecosystems of the region, causing problems such as glacial melt, water shortages, and the deterioration of the environmental situation.
Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Tatiana Molcean also delivered a speech at the event.
"The risks of failing to meet climate commitments are particularly high for Central Asia—a region with great potential but vulnerable ecosystems and complex interdependencies in water and energy resources," she said.
Moreover, she drove home the point that it’s high time to roll up our sleeves and think outside the box to hit the bullseye on the Sustainable Development Goals in the region.
The forum also discussed the launch of the SPECA Multi-Partner Trust Fund, which provides opportunities for implementing climate, innovative, and 'green' projects tailored to the region's unique needs.
To note, the SPECA Economic Forum was held in Dushanbe on November 26-27.
The United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) was inaugurated on 26 March 1998 through the Tashkent Declaration, endorsed by the Presidents of Central Asian nations and the 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). This program aims to assist these countries in their pursuits of economic development, collaboration, and integration into the economies of Europe and Asia. SPECA offers a collaborative regional platform for the execution of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are more effectively attained through regional cooperation.
