14th session of the SPECA Work Group on trade, which was organized by the Government of Turkmenistan together with the UN European Economic Commission, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asian Pacific (ESCAP) was held under the Days of SPECA.
The main goals of the meeting are to support the exchange of practice and mutual help of the member states of the Programme for implementation of the measures for facilitation of trade procedures and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals related to trade as well as to review regional strategy on this subject and encouragements of making of the network of representatives of private sector.
It was noted in the speeches that special place is given to the role that trade may play in provision of stable and inclusive development in 2030 Agenda.Setting new goals, which are applied on global level, all members of the SPECA mobilize efforts and use them for solution of current problems of the world politics including combating against inequality, climate change, achievement of food abundance and other.
Participants of the meeting have also focused on the importance of the First Caspian Economic Forum in Turkmenbashy, which was initiated by the President of Turkmenistan and became an efficient ground for discussion of aspect of activation of cooperation in trade and sustainable development including in Central Asian region.
Noting participation of the UN EEC Executive Secretary Olga Algaerova in this event and her meetings with the President of Turkmenistan, the participants focused the attention of support of the idea of establishment of the SPECA Fund by Turkmen leader and willingness of our country to invest to this structure.
This initiative has also been supported by the member states of the Programme.The participants gave positive feedback to the efforts of our country for joining the WTO, which meets long-term national interests.
The fact that Turkmenistan, which diversifies and modernize entire national economic complex and implements large-scale programme and projects, would receive access to modern technologies as their standards is also set by the system of the World Trade Organization, was a considerable argument for achievement of this goal.
During exchange of the views, the participants of the meeting expressed confidence that integration of all SPECA countries to open and non-discriminatory multilateral trade system under the WTO is to support successful practical implementation of the goals of 2030 Global Agenda.
It was highlighted during discussion of the subject of facilitation of trade procedures that this measure would improve the issues of standardisation, coordination and modernization of work in this field between the countries, by thus, increasing the volumes of international trade, accelerating and making cheaper for small and medium participants.
effectiveness of the mechanisms, which are offered to implement in this sphere, was confirmed by the results of studies carried out by experts.It is known that relative Agreement of the WTO, which has entered into force in February 2017, includes the provisions on transit, which are important for many developing countries including those that have no access to sea.
Reforms in the sphere of facilitation of trade procedures are important for these states in the context of achievement of the SDG, in particular goals No. 16 and 17.
In this regard, special emphasis has been laid on the role of the UNCTAD.Adoption and implementation of the SPECA strategy for facilitation of trade procedures and development of the Roadmap for its realization, analysis and development of recommendations for reduction of non-tariff barriers in trade in Central Asian region were the main subject of current meeting.
The agenda also included the discussion of national and regional plans and strategies of the SPECA countries in the sphere of facilitation and trade procedures and development, which implementation is to support the strengthening of cooperation between profile structures of the member states of the Programme.
In the end, the participants highlighted the importance of the meeting in the context of constructive cooperation, which meets the goals of the sustainable development in regional and global scale.