Event on Sustainable Trade and Circularity under the SPECA Working Group on Trade

The session will discuss how to advance climate-smart trade, sustainable trade and circularity building on the work of the SPECA Working Group on Trade. The objective is to foster the inclusion of the SPECA Principles of Sustainable Trade in national sustainable development plans, as considered by the Government of Tajikistan. The session aims to strengthen knowledge and capacities of national experts in sustainable trade and circular economy and their link to sustainable development plans. Further, the session will review instruments for trade and sustainable development in SPECA region; efficient management of water, discussing the concept of virtual water exports, food security; and the circular economy. The session will include a discussion to how to accelerate progress in trade digitalization as a key means of reducing the negative impact of international trade on the environment. The digitalization of trade information flows is a core element to ensure seamless exchange of information, paperless trade, and clean trade procedures in cross-border supply chains. Progress in the implementation of the SPECA Trans-Caspian digitalization Roadmap adopted by the Presidents of the SPECA participating States (https://unece.org/speca/speca-digitalization-roadmap) will be discussed. It has the potential to save precious resources in trade and transport corridors crossing the landlocked SPECA region. This session will cover trade facilitation and electronic business work in the SPECA participating States and the SPECA Working Group on Trade. Further presentation on the reinforcement in the region of the international rules-based trading system under the WTO (SDG 17:11) and the implementation of the SPECA Principles of Sustainable Trade of the SPECA Working Group on Trade.