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Innovation and Technology for Sustainable Development

The SPECA Working Group on Innovation and Technology for Sustainable Development (WG on ITSD) is a subsidiary body within the governing structure of the United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA). It was created by decision of the SPECA Governing Council taken at its 14th session (Ashgabat, 21 November 2019), following a proposal by the SPECA Working Group on Knowledge-based Development (WG on KBD) to update its name and terms of reference to better reflect the priorities of the SPECA countries under the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The SPECA WG on KBD was first established following the decision by the SPECA Governing Council taken at its second session (Berlin, 14 November 2007)  to broaden the mandate of the previous Project Working Group on ICT for Development (PWG on ICT) and to form it into the Project Working Group on Knowledge-based Development.   

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Terms of Reference PDF  PDF
Working Group Activities

Innovation for the Circular Economy: Empowering Start-ups to Achieve More with Less: UNECE Study Tour for SPECA Participating States 
20-21 December 2023 (Tbilisi, Georgia)

Fourth Session of the SPECA Working Group on Innovation and Technology for Sustainable Development and Subregional workshop: Progress Update on the Action Plan of the SPECA Strategy on Innovation for Sustainable Development
18-19 October 2023 (Tashkent Uzbekistan)
Meeting page
UNECE B2B capacity building “Innovation for the Circular Economy: Bridging Start-Ups and Corporations”
18 October 2023 (Tashkent Uzbekistan)
Meeting page

Capacity building: Enhancing venture capital in Azerbaijan
July-August 2023, Virtual mode: online platform
Meeting page 

Study tour to Georgia for innovation policymakers from the SPECA sub-region
10-11 July 2023 (Tbilisi Georgia)

Side event to the 16th session of the UNECE Committee on Innovation, Competitiveness and Public-Private Partnerships: Promoting women’s entrepreneurship in transition economies for sustainable development
1 June 2023 (Geneva, Switzerland)

UNECE capacity building workshop for Chief Innovation Officers on innovation for the circular economy
2 May 2023 (Tashkent, Uzbekistan) 
Uzbekistan is stepping up efforts to use innovation as a driver for the circular economy transition

Side event to the 70th session of the Economic Commission for Europe: Fostering circular solutions through innovation
3 April 2023 (online, Geneva)
Working with venture funds and business angels: UNECE capacity building for staff of business incubators and accelerators in the SPECA sub-region
16 March 2023, Virtual mode: online platform, (Geneva, Switzerland)
Meeting page
Capacity building for SPECA countries “Development of business incubators and start-up accelerators: training for university management”
21 February 2023, Virtual mode: online platform, (Geneva, Switzerland)
Meeting page
Capacity building for SPECA countries "Effective management and development of business incubators and accelerators"
27-29 September 2022, Virtual mode: online platform, (Geneva, Switzerland)
Meeting page

Capacity building: Fostering innovative entrepreneurship through educational curricula in the SPECA sub-region
19 September 2022, Virtual mode: online platform, (Geneva, Switzerland) 
Meeting page

Third Session of the SPECA Working Group on Innovation and Technology for Sustainable Development: Approval of creation of a SPECA NBIASD with national focal points
20 July 2022, Hybrid mode (Almaty, Kazakhstan)
Meeting page News item
Expert Group Meeting on Innovation and Technology for Sustainable Development: Proposal for a SPECA Network of Business Incubators and Accelerators for Sustainable Development (NBIASD)
19-20 July 2022, Hybrid mode (Almaty, Kazakhstan)
Meeting page News item
Capacity building: “New approaches to innovation policy in the transition economies of the SPECA sub-region”
19 May 2022, Virtual mode: online platform (Geneva, Switzerland)
Documents
Capacity building for SPECA policymakers on supporting innovative high-growth enterprises in the SPECA sub-region
15 February and 17 February 2022, Virtual mode: online platform (Geneva, Switzerland)
Documents
Capacity building: Challenges and opportunities for supporting innovative, high-growth enterprises in the SPECA countries
23 December 2021, Virtual mode: online platform (Geneva, Switzerland)
Documents

Sixteenth session of the SPECA Governing Council: Approval of the Action Plan of the SPECA Innovation Strategy for Sustainable Development
19 November 2021, (Hybrid session) Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Meeting page

Second Session of the SPECA Working Group on Innovation and Technology for Sustainable Development and Subregional workshop: Action plan of the SPECA Innovation Strategy for Sustainable Development
20-21 October 2021, Hybrid mode: online platform, (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan)
Documents
Capacity building: Second meeting of the Task Force on the Roadmap for the Development of the Innovation Ecosystem of Kyrgyzstan until 2025 
8 September 2021, virtual modality
Documents
Capacity building: First meeting of the Task Force on the Roadmap for the Development of Innovation Support Infrastructure in Kyrgyzstan until 2025 
9 June 2021, virtual modality
Documents
Subregional Workshop: Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) gap assessment of SPECA countries 
26 November 2020, virtual modality
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First Session of the SPECA Working Group on Innovation and Technology for Sustainable Development 
30 July 2020, virtual modality (Country chair - Kazakhstan)
Documents
From ideas to applications: Sharing best practices on incubators, science parks and technology transfer
21-23 October 2019, Moscow, Russian Federation
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Eleventh Session of the SPECA Working Group on Knowledge-based Development and Regional Workshop on Innovation and Technology Applications for Sustainable Development
26-27 June 2019, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
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Tenth Session of the SPECA Working Group on Knowledge-based Development and Regional Workshop “Innovation Strategy, Technology Applications and Infrastructure for the SDGs”
4-5 July 2018, Baku, Azerbaijan
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Ninth Session of the SPECA Working Group on Knowledge-based Development and Regional Workshop “Making innovation work for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”
22-23 June 2017, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
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Eighth Session of the SPECA Working Group on Knowledge-based Development and Regional Workshop "Resilient ICT Connectivity for the Knowledge Economy, SDGs and the WSIS goals"
20-22 September 2016, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Documents
Seventh Session of the SPECA Project Working Group on Knowledge-based Development and International Conference "Practical Steps Towards a Knowledge-based Economy"
16-17 June 2015, Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Documents
Sixth Session of the SPECA Project Working Group on Knowledge-based Development and "Science, technology and innovation for sustainable development in SPECA countries"
11-12 June 2014, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Documents
Fifth Session of the SPECA Project Working Group on Knowledge-based Development 
4 December 2013, Baku, Azerbaijan
Prior to the session, ESCAP organized an expert consultation on the Asia-Pacific information superhighway on 3-4 December 2013.
Documents
Regional Meeting on the Promotion and Financing of Innovative Green Technologies
19-20 November 2013, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Expert Segment of the 2013 SPECA Economic Forum
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Joint National Seminar and Stakeholder Meeting on Promotion and Financing of Innovative Green Technologies
23-25 October 2013, Astana, Kazakhstan
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National Seminar and Stakeholder Meeting on Promotion and Financing of Innovative Green Technologies
15-17 May 2013, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
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Joint National Seminar and Stakeholder Meeting on Promotion and Financing of Innovative Green Technologies
7-9 November 2012, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Documents
Seminar on Information and Communication Technology Policy and Legal Issues for the Heads of Ministries and Agencies of Turkmenistan 
13-14 June 2012, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Documents
Fourth Session of the SPECA Project Working Group on Knowledge-based Development 
25 November 2011, Baku, Azerbaijan
The Session will discuss the revised terms of reference of the Group,  review implementation of its programme of work for 2011 and adopt the draft programme of work of the PWG for 2012-2013.  
Documents  
International Conference on Knowledge-based Development and Innovative Entrepreneurship
24-25 November 2011, Baku, Azerbaijan
Documents
Third Session of the SPECA Project Working Group on Knowledge-based Development and
Related Capacity-building Workshop

28-30 September 2010, Astana, Kazakhstan
Documents
Seminar on the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights
11 November 2009, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Documents
Regional Capacity-Building Seminar in the Area of Financing of Innovative Enterprises, Commercialization of Intellectual Property and Public-Private Partnerships
10-11 November 2009, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Documents
Second Session of the SPECA Project Working Group on Knowledge-based Development
9 November 2009, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
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Inauguration Session of the SPECA Project Working Group on Knowledge-based Development
12 November 2008, Baku, Azerbaijan
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Regional Capacity-building Seminar on Information and Communication Technology Policy and
Legal Issues with Special Reference to eCommerce Development

13-14 November 2008, Baku, Azerbaijan
Documents
National Capacity-building Seminar on Information and Communication Technology Policy and Legal Issues
1-2 July 2008, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Documents
Past Activities

Project Working Group on ICT for Development

Terms of Reference:  ENG RUS

National Capacity-building Seminar on Information and Communication Technology Policy and Legal Issues
30-31 October 2007, Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Documents
Workshop on Broadband and ICT Development for Improved Communications in Central Asia
21-22 June 2007 , Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Documents
Regional Seminar on Capacity-Building for ICT Policymaking in Central Asia
11-14 July 2006, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Documents
Inaugural Session
5-6 December 2005, Baku, Azerbaijan
Documents