Strengthening Cross-Border Community Collaboration in the CAREC Region

Book excerpt: The Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) member countries face many common economic, social, and environmental challenges that directly impact their citizens and communities. Communities living in bordering regions face this impact in a unique manner with historical and cultural ties, shared resources and geographies, social support systems including family and friends, and business and livelihood activities. This report provides a brief strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis of the scope for CAREC to strengthen cross-border communities’ development. It identifies a series of recommendations for CAREC to play a proactive role in expanding cross-border cooperation in the border regions.