The Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program, now 16 years in operation, has recorded impressive achievements in regional economic cooperation, particularly in the areas of transport, energy, trade facilitation, and trade policy. From 2001 to end September 2017, investments in member countries under CAREC have amounted to $30.5 billion, covering 182 projects. CAREC 2030 builds on the solid foundation of progress made under CAREC 2020, and provides the new long-term strategic framework for the CAREC Program leading to 2030. CAREC 2030 is aligned with national strategies and with the 2030 global development agenda. It is inspired by a mission to create an open and inclusive platform that connects people, policies and projects for shared and sustainable development.

The Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Transport Strategy 2030 builds on progress made and lessons learned from the CAREC Transport and Trade Facilitation Strategy 2020. It separates trade facilitation from transport and links to the overall CAREC 2030 program in the areas of enhanced connectivity and sustainability. This strategy underscores increasing sustainability and network quality alongside continued construction and rehabilitation of transport corridors, and places more emphasis on multimodal connectivity, road asset management, road safety, and performance-based maintenance goals. The CAREC Transport Strategy 2030 will be implemented in conjunction with the CAREC Integrated Trade Agenda 2030.

Promoting regional cooperation in the health sector is an operational priority of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Strategy 2030. This scoping study assesses the potential of CAREC to promote regional cooperation and integration in the health sector to mitigate risks and develop national health systems. The study specifically reviews the burden of communicable and noncommunicable diseases and their risk factors, along with the progress and challenges in health systems development in the CAREC region. Based on the assessment, the study recommends strengthening regional health security; developing health systems through regional cooperation; and improving health services for migrants, mobile populations, and border communities.

Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) countries face several common challenges in improving the quality of lives of women, and the coronavirus disease pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities. The CAREC Gender Strategy 2030 complements national plans for gender mainstreaming. It provides a regional approach for pursuing gender equality, women’s empowerment, harnessed potential, and strengthened capacity for equal access of women and men to economic opportunities from CAREC investments. Under the overall CAREC 2030 strategy and aligned sector strategies, the gender strategy provides strategic directions and key entry points that will serve as a roadmap to mainstream gender in the CAREC operational clusters.

The services sector is becoming a key driver of economic development in most members of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program. This study underscores the potential for greater economic diversification through robust development of seven key services subsectors and industries that are critical for economies in the region to function and thrive. CAREC members also need to adopt a coherent and comprehensive approach to the balanced development of these interdependent services subsectors. Enabling conditions such as good governance, competitive markets, strong regional cooperation and integration, efficient labor markets, and high quality physical and digital infrastructure are crucial.

Digital trade promotion has been a long-standing priority for CAREC member countries, as part of their integration into global value chains and economic diversification. This study examines the legal environment on electronic transactions as well as the opportunities and challenges in expanding electronic commerce in the CAREC region. It makes a case for modernization and harmonization of laws of CAREC countries leveraging on international instruments and best practices for electronic commerce transactions. Adequate legislation to protect personal privacy and consumers’ rights and combat cybercrime is also crucial. Finally, institutions must be built with trust, within and among countries and through regional cooperation.

The Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) was created to foster connectivity. Air transport connectivity facilitates economic development. This Scoping Study seeks to begin to define a potential role for the CAREC program to enhance the region's effectiveness of aviation. The study provides an analysis of the CAREC region's current state of aviation, and is structured around three principal components of aviation development: policy and regulation, infrastructure and equipment, and operations. It also describes enabling factors necessary to realize the aviation enhancements CAREC member governments seek. The study provides conclusions and outlines a possible way forward on CAREC aviation to assist in shaping action items and capacity-building activities that underpin aviation's role in economic development.