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Technical Assistance
| The UNECE undertakes technical
assistance activities aimed at supporting transition countries in
their application of norms and conventions developed by the UNECE,
the improvement of their statistical data systems, and the strengthening
of technical expertise in their administration. Specific divisions
of the UNECE secretariat have a regional adviser who organizes these
activities. In addition, a Coordination Unit for Operational Activities
has been established to deal with issues and activities which respond
to the needs of specific groups of countries. |
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To respond to the special needs of certain regions, the
UN/ECE has developed close ties with two sub-regional initiatives: the
Southeast European Cooperative
Initiative (SECI) and the Special
Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA). The former
was set up in December 1996, with the aim of encouraging cooperation among
the countries of the region and facilitating the access of Southeast Europe
to the European integration processes. The UN/ECE was requested to provide
SECI with technical assistance in helping it to discharge its task. The
latter is a joint undertaking of the five Central Asian States, the UN/ECE
and ESCAP (Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific) aimed
at encouraging Central Asian countries to jointly address issues of common
concern. As set out in the Tashkent Declaration on SPECA signed in March
1998, the Programme aims at strengthening harmonious economic relationships
among the participating countries as well as their further integration
into international economic relations. ECE and ESCAP have been implementing
a joint SPECA-related project "Rational and efficient use of energy
and water resources in Central Asia".
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