BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 19. Full implementation of paperless trade mechanisms could help Turkmenistan and other Central Asian economies reduce trade costs by 15%, Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Shombi Sharp, told Trend.
"Trade digitalization and paperless systems foster transparency, inclusiveness and sustainability. These tools integrate SPECA participating States more deeply into the global rules-based trading system," Sharp said.
He noted that Turkmenistan joined the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-Border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific in May 2022, a UN treaty enabling electronic exchange of trade-related data and documents through interoperable single window systems.
"Our research shows that full implementation of paperless trade could help Turkmenistan and other Central Asian economies reduce trade costs by 15%. This efficiency ensures that trade benefits reach every community," Sharp emphasized.
According to Sharp, ESCAP has also assisted Turkmenistan in drafting a national paperless trade action plan and facilitating participation in capacity-building events.
"We have also facilitated the country’s participation in capacity-building activities such as the Paperless Trade Week and the Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum," he said.
Sharp added that ESCAP provides ongoing institutional and technical support through online learning and international partnerships.
"ESCAP also provides many opportunities for online learning in this area, including a new course on Single Window Interoperability developed with the World Bank, and regular webinar series on accelerating trade digitalization, co-organized with the Asian Development Bank, the International Chamber of Commerce and the World Customs Organization," he noted.
In January 2026, a delegation headed by Shombi Sharp, Deputy Executive Secretary of UNESCAP, visited Turkmenistan as part of the SPECA Economic Forum held on January 21-22 in Ashgabat. This event was a key component of SPECA Week, organized under the United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA).