UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2023-2026)
UNECE is a signatory of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and contributes in particular to the following strategic priorities:
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Outcome 1. By 2026, health, food security and nutrition, education and social protection systems and services are more effective, inclusive, gender-sensitive, and adequately financed.
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Outcome 2. By 2026, public institutions and the private sector collaborate to implement innovative and gender-responsive policy frameworks and actions to green the economy and strengthen inclusion of vulnerable groups.
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Outcome 3. By 2026, natural resources management is inclusive and sustainable with integrated policy frameworks and actions to enhance climate-change adaptation and livelihoods of vulnerable groups.
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Outcome 4. By 2026, governance is more inclusive, transparent and accountable, serving to protect human rights, empower women, and reduce violence and discrimination in alignment with the international commitments of Tajikistan.
UNECE is working in close cooperation with the Resident Coordinator and the United Nations Country Team.
Key highlights
In 2024, Tajikistan is chairing the UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA).
Energy
Tajikistan is among the beneficiary countries of a project to improve the energy efficiency of the global building supply chain industry and its products to deliver high performance buildings.
UNECE conducted an analysis of coal demand dynamics until 2050.
The country should explore and apply energy efficiency standards based on the best practices, address its coal mine methane related problems, as well as prepare the grounds for the future safe and environmentally friendly closure of depleted mines (SDG7, SDG12 and SDG13).
Environment
Tajikistan is currently only a Party to the Aarhus Convention. The country is encouraged to ratify other UNECE environment conventions and protocols, in particular the Water, Industrial Accidents, Air and Espoo conventions, and the Protocols on Water and Health and on Strategic Environmental Assessment. These accessions would help Tajikistan to address the lack of inter-institutional cooperation on mine tailings safety and the prevention of accidental water pollution from tailings management facilities, as well as to promote participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters.
UNECE conducted an analysis of existing national and joint measures to prevent and respond to pollution in the Syr Darya river basin in emergency situations and supported National Policy Dialogues for Industrial Safety in Central Asia.
The 4th Environmental Performance Review of Tajikistan was initiated at the end of 2023.
Forests
UNECE published an overview of the state of forests and forest management in Tajikistan, as well as an assessment of Forest Landscape Restoration in the Caucasus and Central Asia.
UNECE contributes to the implementation and supports national forest policy programmes and forest governance, to mitigate and adapt to climate change and foster sustainable development and resource management (SDG13 and SDG15).
Gender equality
The standards body of Tajikistan is invited to sign the Declaration on Gender-Responsive Standards and Standards Development (SDG5, SDG9 and SDG12).
Innovation
UNECE supports the countries of Central Asia in harnessing the benefits of innovation and the creative economy for sustainable development
Statistics
Tajikistan’s Agency of Statistics has requested UNECE to conduct a Global Assessment of the National Statistical System, which is planned for 2024-25.
Transport
A landlocked country, Tajikistan’s heavy reliance on road transport makes the UN legal instruments on inland transport administered by UNECE particularly meaningful to facilitate cross-border and transit movements across land borders. Tajikistan has acceded to 10 UN legal instruments on inland transport.
The country needs to make further progress to comply with international transport agreements to improve its connectivity and reduce the costs of road transport (SDG8 and SDG9).
It is encouraged to continue active participation in cross-border transport projects, for example in the UNECE EATL corridor management and connection to the eTIR international system (SDG8 and SDG9).
Trade
Tajikistan was one of the first countries to work with UNECE support on the establishment of a Single Window to simplify and harmonize border-crossing procedures (SDG8 and SDG9). As chair of the SPECA Working Group on Trade, it has contributed to drafting the SPECA Guide for establishing and operating Trade Facilitation Enquiry Points.
Tajikistan is encouraged to continue working on digitalization of multimodal transport in the framework of SPECA, using the UNECE and UN/CEFACT standards, and to implement recommendations from the assessment of its readiness to implement the SPECA Principles of Sustainable Trade.
A first National Policy Dialogue on the Circular Economy and Traceability of Garment and Footwear Value Chains was conducted in 2022.
UNECE supports Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan in diversifying export markets for fresh and dried fruit and vegetables by applying UN agricultural quality standards. This supports a key sector of the economy as well as gender since women represent an important part of the agricultural workforce in these countries (SDG5, SDG8).
Urban development
Due to a high influx of young people to cities, there is a need for effective urban development and affordable decent housing (SDG3).
UNECE is working to support the capital city of Dushanbe in the development of its SDG voluntary local review.
An evidence-based approach to housing and urban development is needed to support the government in promoting access for all to decent, adequate, affordable and heathy housing by applying the principles of The Geneva UN Charter on Sustainable Housing.