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).