On 25 February 2013, Mr. Sven Alkalaj, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) met Mr. Andrey Slepnev, Member of the Board, Minister for Trade of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) on occasion of his visit to UNECE.

In a Joint Statement signed after the meeting, Mr. Alkalaj and Mr. Slepnev reaffirmed their interest in developing effective cooperation between UNECE and EEC with a view to improving economic collaboration in the UNECE region based on principles of transparency, reciprocity and mutual benefit.

They have endorsed the draft text of the Memorandum of Understanding between the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the Eurasian Economic Commission and discussed the draft Programme of Cooperation between both organizations for the period 2013 – 2014.

The UNECE and the Commission of the Customs Union, the predecessor of the Eurasian Economic Commission, developed their cooperation in the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding signed in April 2011.

The new draft Memorandum of Understanding between UNECE and EEC will broaden the scope of cooperation to cover areas such as trade and transport facilitation, promoting a competitive transport market, developing an innovative economy, facilitating public-private cooperation, improving the exchange of statistical data, etc. To facilitate the development and implementation of joint projects and activities, the draft Memorandum of Understanding envisages the preparation of biennial programmes of cooperation between the UNECE and EEC.

Successful implementation of the new Memorandum and related cooperation programmes and projects would further serve the purpose of promoting economic cooperation and integration in the UNECE region.