DUSHANBE, June 21, 2013, Asia-Plus – On Friday June 21, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon Mr. Sven Alkalaj, the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

According to the Tajik president’s official website, the sides considered a broad range of issues related to state and prospects of further expansion of cooperation between Tajikistan and the United Nations, regional cooperation, and proposals on further strengthening of the UN Special Program for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA).

The sides also discussed preparations for international high-level conference on water cooperation that is expected to take place in Dushanbe from August 20-21 this year.  

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE or ECE) was established in 1947 to encourage economic cooperation among its member states.  It is one of five regional commissions under the administrative direction of United Nations headquarters.  It has 56 member states, and reports to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).  The UNECE secretariat headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland, and has an approximate budget of US$50 million.