The United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) will hold its annual economic forum and the 20th session of the Governing Council as part of the SPECA High-Level Week in Ashgabat from 20 to 23 January 2026.
According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the events will provide a key platform for regional cooperation and strengthened partnerships in trade, transport, and energy.
The main theme of the forum is "Regional Connectivity for Sustainable Development." Discussions will focus on the development of energy, transport, and trade links, digitalization of the transport corridor, and harmonization of legislation among SPECA countries.
The forum, chaired by Turkmenistan, will review progress in the implementation of key SPECA strategic documents, including the Trans-Caspian Corridor Digitalization Roadmap and the 2030 Development Concept.
SPECA is a special UN program aimed at integrating the economies of Central Asian countries into the global economy and strengthening regional cooperation. The program was established in 1998 and initially covered Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan later joined.
