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International

approach the deadline for the implementation “The experience of the United
of 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda,
even though the COVID-19 pandemic has Nations shows that cross-border
threatened to undo some of the progress challenges require cross-border
made so far. Resident Coordinators should be
the channel of communication between local measures that can be efficiently
governments and the United Nations and its implemented through cross-border
specialized bodies, and proper understanding
and efficient channelling of local needs and cooperation.”
priorities to the United Nations remain an
important task.
Already in 2008, during the previous global
The experience of the United Nations shows calamity – the global financial crisis – my
that cross-border challenges require cross- Government initiated the establishment of
border measures that can be efficiently a new platform to improve connectivity in
implemented through cross-border the Eurasian region. The Trans-Eurasian
cooperation. Growing bilateral relations Information Superhighway Project (TASIM)
among the SPECA participating countries is a major initiative aimed at improving
have created favourable conditions for further connectivity in Eurasia and establishing new
cross-border cooperation under the SPECA fiber-optic telecommunication transit routes
platform. In November 2016, the Azerbaijani between Europe and Asia. The project is
city of Ganja hosted the eleventh SPECA supported by three United Nations General
Governing Council and the SPECA Forum Assembly resolutions and enjoys the support
entitled “Enhanced Implementation of SDGs of such specialized United Nations bodies
through Cooperation”. The Ganja Declaration such as the International Telecommunications
adopted as a result of this Forum emphasized Union, the ESCAP, the UNECE and the United
the importance of regional cooperation and Nations Development Program. The project
integration among the SPECA participating is also supported by major international
countries, emphasizing ways and means of financial institutions, such as the World Bank
strengthening cooperation and collaboration. and the Asian Development Bank. The TASIM
Currently, the SPECA participating countries project envisages building a major new
are discussing the establishment of the SPECA transit route from Frankfurt to Hong Kong,
Fund that would aim at providing financial thus, connecting the biggest exchange point
assistance for the implementation of cross- in Europe with the biggest exchange point
border projects, with multiple positive effects in Asia. The transit route will pass through
on the economy and development of the China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia,
SPECA participating countries. Azerbaijan not and Turkey and further on to Germany. The
only supported the idea of the establishment of consortium made up of interested partners
the Fund but continues to actively participate has been discussing the implementation of the
in the relevant processes and discussions. project, and relevant agreements important
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has for the implementation of the project have
demonstrated the importance of innovation been recently signed with Kazakhstan and
and ICT development, both of which have Turkmenistan on a fiber-optic cable to be laid
always been important sectors for my along the Caspian bottom.
Government. This is also true for the SPECA In light of the new and emerging global
region. The ICT sector will play an important challenges, we believe that the importance
role in the alleviation of the aftermath of the of the TASIM project will increase
ongoing pandemic. Yet, the pandemic has further, and we invite the United Nations
further revealed how far behind many actors Member States, as well as the UNECE, the
in the world are on the digital uptake and ESCAP and other relevant international
that the gap between the connected and the organizations, to support and participate
unconnected is deeper than we used to think. in this important regional initiative. •

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