Turkmenistan and the UN ESCAP have discussed expanding economic cooperation and sustainable development initiatives. The sides reviewed the current state of cooperation between Turkmenistan and UN ESCAP and discussed opportunities to deepen partnership in sustainable development, economic cooperation, climate change adaptation and efforts to combat desertification, the report says. Meanwhile, cooperation between Turkmenistan and UN ESCAP has expanded steadily in recent years, with a growing focus on sustainable transport, trade facilitation, digital connectivity and climate resilience. 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).