The 2014 SPECA Economic Forum, focusing on the theme of "Improving connectivity: a key contribution of SPECA to the success of the Transformation Decade of Afghanistan" took place in the Turkmen capital. The forum brought together leaders and representatives of various departments of the United Nations Organisation, European Union, OSCE, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Eurasian Development Bank, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), a number of regional and international organisations, as well as the delegation of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, the Russian Federation and others. Specialists of ministries and departments, higher educational institutions as well as journalists represented Turkmenistan at the forum.

The plenary sessions taken place within the framework of the forum focused on the issues related to the improvement of connectivity in the SPECA region, in particular between Afghanistan and Central Asian countries. The reports on the investigations carried out by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in this area were presented during the meeting. The forum participants specified the prospects of the further cooperation on providing assistance to the Central Asian states, strengthening the mutually beneficial partnership and promoting their economic development and integration into the system of world economic relations.