DUSHANBE, 21.11.2019 (NIAT Khovar) – The 14th meeting of the Working Group on Trade of the UN Special Program for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) was held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, under the leadership of the First Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade Zavqi  Zavqizoda.

The meeting focused on the issues relating to SPECA Regional Strategy on trade facilitation, regional cooperation to achieve sustainable development goals, activities of the national committees on trade facilitation, single window, as well as non-tariff measures in trade, reported the Tajik Ministry of Economic Development and Trade.

Zavqizoda spoke about Tajikistan’s achievements in international trade, including the country’s participation in the World Trade Organization (WTO), facilitation of trade procedures, export development, acceleration of the process of diversification of export-oriented products, and noted that all of the existing opportunities have yet been utilized between SPECA member states.

Additionally, SPECA’s Economic Forum was held on November 20-21.

In order to protect the country’s economic interests, the Tajik delegation introduced its achievements and current opportunities in order to further develop economic cooperation and proposed a number of strategic documents, including SPECA National Strategy for Trade Facilitation, sustainable trade principles and elimination of non-tariff barriers to trade. These documents were adopted by the Council of Heads of SPECA.

Over the past years, Tajikistan has been heading SPECA’s Working Group on Trade.