Enhancing Regional Research & Analysis Partnerships in Central South Asia through a RECCA Center for Research & Evaluation
Since its inception RECCA has sought to improve regional economic cooperation by focusing on connecting economic activity across Central Asia, South Asia, and the wider region. A new Center for Research and Evaluation under RECCA would focus actively on providing scholarly reviews and analysis on regional economic cooperation in the RECCA region, in order to help promote cooperation in the form of a state-of-the-art information exchange and shared analysis by regional partners. The Center would plan to host, on a rotational basis, at least 2-4 scholars, focusing on potential research topics being identified by the RECCA academic forum in areas of regional economic cooperation and integration. Presented for consideration by partners at a juncture when momentum in favor of greater integration and stability is again increasing—and with a backdrop of predictions by some analysts and experts that Central South Asia will become the epicenter of global economic dynamism in the next 20 years—this joint research center could be launched with a focus on spearheading specific research and analytical projects designed to deliver outcomes that spur further regional trade/investment progress in support of greater integration in the wider RECCA region.
Towards the RECCA Center for Research & Evaluation at RECCA-VII in Ashgabat:
To further RECCA’s commitment to enhancing research collaboration across Central, South, and Southwest Asia, a RECCA CRE is proposed as a regional initiative to facilitate dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation in the critical area of research and analysis across the region. Key analysis of the following types of crucial queries could be regularly produced by the experts assembled at an innovative center of this caliber, such as: how many jobs would be created by a regional trade and transit agreement? how much would the average family’s standard of living improve by the combined impact of regional energy initiatives e.g. TAPI and CASA-1000? What would the multi-level impact be of integrating regional transportation networks e.g. road and rail? For example, its analytical team could help regional foreign and finance ministries to prepare for traveling on investment road shows at sovereign wealth funds and governments outside the region.
The CRE could initially be launched in the form of a modest office within the RECCA Secretariat, in collaboration with the Center for Strategic Studies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul, with regular interactions with sister research centers throughout the region.
| Budget & Funding Status | The required budget will be further discussed with the stakeholders |
| Institutional Partners | Afghanistan and all neighboring countries and their academic research centers, as well as the research divisions of regional organizations and programs such as SAARC, ECO, SCO, CAREC, UNDP, and UNSECAP |
Recommended Actions by RECCA-VII and Beyond:
- Discuss and endorse the creation of the RECCA Center for Research and Evaluation at the RECCA-VII ministerial meeting, on 15 November 2017, in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
- Develop the ToR and structure of the CRE for the discussion at the Post-RECCA VII Ambassadorial Meeting as well as its adoption by the RECCA National Focal Points