DUSHANBE , February 16, Asia-Plus - Debates on the Central Asian Human Development Report are scheduled to be held in Dushanbe on February 22-23.

The event is staged by the UNDP Dushanbe Office and local NGO “Youth -- 21 ^st Century”. 

According to information from the UNDP Dushanbe Office, the main objective of the debates is in discussing problematic issues raised in the Report, making population aware of the key provisions of the document, as well as discussing ways of integration of the countries of the region.  

The source says debates will be held in a form of knock-out games on the subject of “What can become foundation of cooperation between Central Asia ’s states (development of trade, natural resources, countering regional dangers, social development, political integration)?” 

The Asia-Plus interlocutor also said that representatives from state organs having competent knowledge of these problems, leaders of public associations of Tajikistan , experts from international organizations, as well print and electronic media were supposed to attend the debates.  

The Central Asian Human Development Report that was released by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) on December 7 2005 urges cross-border cooperation on trade, water, energy needs, drugs and terrorism.  The Report, in particular, says that the five Central Asian republics could as much as double their incomes over the next 10 years by strengthening regional economic cooperation.  Among the Report’s key recommendations for the Central Asian governments are: upgrade regional transport links; simplify and harmonize transit, customs and

border management and join the World Trade Organization (WTO); work toward more efficient pricing and effective management of infrastructure at the national level and establish a regional water-energy consortium to manage the abundant regional water and energy resources for greater efficiency, human development and regional stability.