The United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) will hold its annual economic forum and the 20th session of its Governing Council in the framework of the SPECA High-Level Week in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, from 20 to 23 January 2026. These events will mark a major milestone for regional cooperation at a time when global challenges demand renewed dialogue, partnership and trust. As Chair of SPECA for 2025, Turkmenistan has placed special emphasis on advancing sustainable development through enhanced connectivity in trade, transport and energy across the region.

A programme rooted in regional cooperation

Established on 26 March 1998 through the Tashkent Declaration, SPECA became a UN special programme to strengthen subregional cooperation in Central Asia. Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan actively participate in the Programme.

Jointly supported by UNECE and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), SPECA serves as a vital platform for linking Central Asian economies more closely with Europe and Asia and facilitating their integration into the global economy. The Programme collaborates with the UN Resident Coordinators in each participating State to support long-term sustainable development.

Connectivity of energy, trade and transport at the heart of the Forum

As the UN celebrated 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Trust, Turkmenistan and the other SPECA participating States aligned the work plans last year to make the Programme a platform for peace, trust, and cooperation, fostering a call for dialogue, elaboration of strategies and work plans for their implementation. The Forum will open with a high-level ministerial segment on 21 January 2026, dedicated to peace, dialogue, and confidence-building, underscoring their importance as foundations for sustainable economic cooperation.

The overarching theme of this year’s Forum, “Regional Connectivity for Sustainable Development,” recognizes that secure, efficient, and modern linkages in energy, transport, and trade are essential for strengthening the economic growth and resilience of the SPECA region. The choice of theme reflects the region’s most pressing priorities and supports a key strategic document of SPECA – the Roadmap for the Digitalization of the Trans-Caspian Corridor, adopted by the SPECA presidential Summit on 24 November 2023.

The crises of the 21st century have disrupted supply chains and increased logistics costs in a region already facing the challenges associated with being landlocked and strongly affected by climate change. Therefore, discussions will focus on how SPECA countries can jointly advance on several important issues.

Energy connectivity:

• Managing risks and developing tools to prevent disruptions in energy supply 
• Attracting investments in energy infrastructure projects
• Promoting green energy initiatives

Transport connectivity:

• Creating modern and multimodal logistics links in the SPECA participating States
• Supporting the implementation of the Trans-Caspian digitalization Roadmap, involving the UNECE Corridor Committees, e-TIR and e-CMR implementation and the uptake of the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Rail
• Harmonizing legislation and synchronizing digital platforms
• Enabling a mutual provision of customs, tariff and other preferences

Trade connectivity:

• Digitalizing the exchange of multimodal data and document exchange, including rail, road, maritime and air consignment notes, bills of lading, and port-to-port information sharing, using the UN/CEFACT standards as a common foundation for seamless data exchange on cargo
• Enhancing pilot project implementation as part of the SPECA Trans-Caspian Digitalization Roadmap for standardized multimodal data exchanges
• Fostering the region’s trade policy cooperation, including in the WTO process

Implementing SPECA’s strategic documents

Under the Chairmanship of Turkmenistan, progress on the implementation of several key SPECA strategic frameworks as well as ways to further advance their implementation will be explored at the Forum, notably:

• The SPECA Concept of Development until 2030, which sets a shared vision, goals, and objectives for strengthening economic cooperation among SPECA countries by 2030
• The Trans-Caspian Digitalization Roadmap, guiding the adoption of interoperable digital data systems and tools along the Trans-Caspian transport corridor, in line with UN legal instruments and standards
• Ashgabat Initiative, the outcome document from the 2019 SPECA Economic Forum that fostered connectivity, trade and transport facilitation
• Baku SPECA Summit Declaration, adopted at the first Summit of Heads of State and Government in 2023, reaffirming commitments to coordinated digital connectivity and enhanced regional trade

These documents represent collective commitment by the SPECA participating States to deepen regional economic ties, harmonize policies, and support more integrated, secure, and sustainable development.

By positioning the SPECA region as a connectivity hub, the SPECA High-Level Week will highlight the role of connectivity not only in economic growth, but also in building the mutual understanding and stability essential for long-term regional integration.