Aid for Trade Roadmap for SPECA Initiative
Launched in 2008, the “Aid-for-Trade Road Map for the United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA)” Initiative seeks to support the Aid-for-Trade (AfT) process in SPECA countries and achieve greater inclusion of these countries in the global economy and the WTO (AfT) initiative. The initiative is coordinated by the UNECE, and is supported by the Governments of Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan as well as the WTO and the UN Chief Executive Board (CEB) Inter-agency Cluster on Trade and Productive Capacity.
Present efforts are focused on addressing trade development needs of the SPECA countries, as identified in the Ministerial Declaration, issued at the end of the Aid for Trade Road Map for SPECA Ministerial Conference Aid for Trade Road Map for SPECA that was held in Baku, Azerbaijan on 1-2 December 2010. The Declaration highlighted key priority areas that should form the focus of national and regional trade development plans, namely: (i) Developing national supply side capacity, including productive capacity and institutional frameworks; (ii) Harnessing cross-border cooperation; and, (iii) Facilitating the beneficial integration of SPECA countries into the multilateral trading system.