United Nations Special Programme for Economies of Central Asia - SPECA MPTF 

Objectives

Fund scope

The United Nations Special Programme for Economies of Central Asia Multi-Partner Trust Fund (SPECA) is a mechanism for operationalizing stronger cooperation and integration amongst members through programmatic interventions. Stakeholders implement forward-looking applications to proactively address common economic development and regional integration challenges while considering global trends like climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss, digitalization, shifting global supply chains, as well as region-specific trends.

The emphasis is on strengthening regional connectivity and harnessing the positive transformative forces needed to achieve SPECA strategic objectives. Fund stakeholders work to ensure that initiatives can be adapted according to circumstance, with built-in flexibility to keep pace with the ever changing development landscape, inter-connected challenges of sustainable development, and priorities of SPECA member states.

Strategic framework

Long-term SPECA objectives are to accelerate the achievement of the strategic economic cooperation in the region, create incentives for economic development and integration, and provide a platform for cooperation on transboundary and cross-border issues to support the SDG achievement.

SPECA projects are implemented by Participating UN Organizations. Government entities and civil society organizations can access the Fund as implementing partners of participating UN organizations. Contributions to SPECA are accepted from governments, inter-governmental or non-governmental organizations, international financial institutions, the private sector, philanthropic organizations, and individuals, all of which sign a Standard Administrative Arrangement with the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office.

Governance

Steering Committee
Members oversee effective management and coordination of all strategic, operational, technical, and management aspects of the Fund. This includes launching the project approval cycle, approving projects and budgets, and initiating fund transfer requests in line with approved projects. The Steering Committee will be chaired by a representative of the UN Economic Commission for Europe and UNESCAP (rotational), and co-chaired by a representative from the SPECA participating state that holds Chairmanship in a specific year.

Participating Organizations
Programme implementation is the responsibility of Participating Organizations. Each organization is programmatically and financially responsible for resources received. 

Administrative Agent
Funds are routed via a pass-through mechanism. Participating Organizations receive funds through the Administrative Agent, the Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) Office. The Administrative Agent handles the receipt, administration and management of contributions from donors, disbursement of funds to Participating Organizations, and consolidation and dissemination of progress reports to donors.

Projects

United Nations Special Programme for Economies of Central Asia - SPECA MPTF

United Nations Special Programme for Economies of Central Asia - SPECA MPTF is currently supporting count_projects ongoing projectscount_globalInterregional and count_countries country-specific. This table shows the most recently approved ongoing projects.

All project financial information can be found in the Financials section, including delivery analysis by organization, theme and project; project financial status by country and by theme.

United Nations Special Programme for Economies of Central Asia - SPECA MPTF

Results

Projects supported by the Fund are linked to one of five outcomes in the SPECA Theory of Change:

• Enhance green, climate smart and circular economic transitions.
• Accelerate digital transformations.
• Strengthen transport and trade connectivity.
• Consolidate economic and environmental resilience.
• Boost the institutional capacity of SPECA to support sub-regional cooperation and joint initiatives.

These outcomes provide the rationale for how activities will contribute to achieving shared economic prosperity and accelerate sustainable development progress in the region.

ContactsPoints of contact