Subregional Office for North and Central Asia



Background

The ESCAP Subregional Office for North and Central Asia (SONCA) was established under United Nations General Assembly Resolution 63/260 as a result of the United Nations Secretary-General's pledge to strengthen the UN Development Pillar.

SONCA was accredited on 5 July 2011 in Almaty, Kazakhstan and better positions the ESCAP to address sustainable and inclusive development priorities in the subregion comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Afghanistan participates in the activities of SONCA as a member of the United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA).

Main objectives of SONCA are to achieve internationally agreed-upon development goals by promoting inclusive and sustainable social and economic development, to address social and economic disparities and strengthen subregional economic cooperation, partnerships and knowledge-sharing among member countries, the private sector, civil society and other development partners in order to ensure inclusive and environmentally-friendly development for all.

SONCA will facilitate the improvement of regional connectivity by encouraging transport infrastructure development and facilitating agreements to boost regional trade and economic prosperity, support the implementation of macroeconomic reforms and sustainable development, with a focus on energy and water resources. It will also coordinate the activities under the UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia which is supported by ESCAP and the Economic Commission for Europe and covers five Central Asian economies, Afghanistan and Azerbaijan.

The subregional office will build two-way linkages between ESCAP headquarters and member States in the subregion and ensure that subregional needs and perspectives are reflected in the promotion of broader regional cooperation in Asia and the Pacific.

ESCAP views North and Central Asia as a very important part of the global economic and social processes which already plays a noticeable role in contemporary geopolitical relations with its vast natural resources, significant transit and transport potential and well-educated population. It enjoys good prospects for development of cooperation in various fields to become a linking bridge between various regions.

SONCA Mandate, Objectives and Key Functions

Mandate

According to the recommendations resulting from the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Meeting on the New ESCAP Subregional Offices for East and North-East Asia, North and Central Asia, and South and South-West Asia ( Bangkok, 2-4 March 2010) and approved at 66 Session of the Commission the Subregional office for North and Central Asia will assist member States in the following priority areas:

• (a) Transport and trade facilitation: developing better transport links, including Euro-Asian transport corridors; transit and transport cooperation, including improved border crossing; the introduction of trade facilitation measures; and the reduction of trade barriers;
• (b) Water, energy and environment: management of water and energy resources, protection of the environment and climate change adaptation.

Main objectives

• To achieve internationally agreed-upon development goals by promoting inclusive and sustainable social and economic development.
• To address social and economic disparities and strengthen subregional economic cooperation, partnerships and knowledge-sharing among member countries, the private sector, civil society and other development partners in order to ensure inclusive and environmentally-friendly development for all.
• To improve regional connectivity by encouraging transport infrastructure development and facilitating agreements to boost regional trade and economic prosperity.
• To support the implementation of macroeconomic reforms and sustainable development, with a focus on energy and water resources.
• To facilitate communication and cooperation among member States.
• To ensure that subregional needs and perspectives are reflected in the promotion of broader regional cooperation in Asia and the Pacific.
• To build two-way linkages between ESCAP headquarters and member States in the subregion.

Key Functions

• To provide background policy support and regular analysis of key subregional issues and challenges.
• To provide technical assistance and ensure its balanced delivery.
• To serve as a link between ESCAP headquarters and member States in the subregions.
• To provide a platform for knowledge management and networking.
• To promote the implementation and achievement of subregional programmes and initiatives.
• To establish and maintain close working relationships with other United Nations entities present in the subregions and promote coordination of activities.
• To build strategic partnerships with relevant actors in the subregions - intergovernmental organizations, development agencies, development banks - in order to facilitate cooperation and coordination among them.

SONCA activities

2012

May

• 10 May (Almaty, Kazakhstan) – ESCAP Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2012 launched in Almaty, Kazakhstan
  Photo gallery: Launch of the Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2012 in Almaty, Kazakhstan

June

• 5-8 June (Almaty, Kazakhstan) - APCICT-SONCA CIS sub-regional TOT for Modules 9 and 10.
• (open, 2 days, Mazar-i-Sharif) - Workshop on Strengthening economic ties between Afghanistan and neighboring countries.

August

• (open, 4 days, Moscow, the Russian Federation) - Subregional workshop on small hydraulic installations safety assessment for Central Asia.

September

• 10-12 September (Almaty or Astana, Kazakhstan) – 4-th Meeting of Trade Ministers of Landlocked Developing Countries and the High-Level Meeting on International Trade, Trade Facilitation and Aid for Trade (as Preparation Process for the Comprehensive Ten-year review Conference of the Almaty Programme of Action).
• 12-14 September (Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan) – 3rd International Sustainable Energy Forum (jointly with EDD).
• (open, 2 days, Dushanbe)- Conference on Strengthening economic ties between Afghanistan and neighboring countries.

October

• (open, 2 days, Central Asia) - Sub-regional MDG Forum for Central Asia (with MPDD, ADB).

November

• (open, 1 day, Almaty, Kazakhstan) - Expert group meeting on regional cooperation and coordination in disaster risk management (back to back with the Central Asia Regional Risk Assessment Meeting).
• 26 November (Bangkok, Thailand):
  1. The 7th session of the SPECA Project Working Group on Trade.
  2. SPECA side events:
     • - Review of implementation of the decisions of the Fifth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA V);
     • - Assessing progress made in achieving the Millennium Development Goals in the SPECA member countries: successes, challenges and best practices.
• 27-28 November (Bangkok, Thailand) - 2012 SPECA Economic Forum and the Seventh Session of the SPECA Governing Council.

December

• December (open, 1 day, Bishkek) - Capacity Building for Control Authorities and Transport Operators to Improve Efficiency of Cross-border transport in Landlocked and Transit developing Countries (with TD).

2011

October

• 19 October (Almaty, Kazakhstan) – Launch of the Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report 2011.
  More details: Programme and Asia-Pacific trade rebounds to pre-crisis levels; Untapped potential in intraregional trade and climate-smart goods, says ESCAP

May

• 5 May (Astana, Kazakhstan) - the global launch of the Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2011.

Meetings and Events in the Subregion:

2012

March

• 26-27 March (Dushanbe, Tajikistan) – participation of the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP in the Fifth Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECCAV); presentation of the SONCA project on Strengthening economic ties between Afghanistan and neighboring countries.
  More details: ESCAP to Support Afghanistan Transition From Conflict to Development

February

• 17-18 February (Tashkent, Uzbekistan) – participation of the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP in the International Conference on Education for Modernization and Sustainable Development.
  More details: Development Through Education

2011

May

• 3-4 May (Astana, Kazakhstan) - the IV Astana Economic Forum.
  More details: Recommendations for the G20 leaders based on the results of the IV Astana Economic Forum May, 3-4, 2011 "Astana Consensus"
• 4 May (Astana, Kazakhstan) – Signing an agreement establishing the ESCAP Subregional Office for North and Central Asia in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
  More details: New ESCAP Subregional Office for North and Central Asia