here - Center on International Cooperation - New York University

Central Asia | 1114.3M i s s i o n N o t e sCentral AsiaThe 2008-2009 economic and financial criseshit Central Asia hard. Although the negativeeffect on national GDPs was less than expected, thecrises – when combined with rising food and energyprices – exacerbated strains on livelihoods, increasedinequalities and contributed to regional insecurity.In early April 2010, the Kyrgyz government wasoverthrown in the bloodiest unrest the region hasseen in the past five years. The continuation ofviolence in Kyrgyzstan, even after the installment ofan interim government, has raised fears of possiblespillover into the broader region. Meanwhile,regional security is jeopardized by the precarioussituation in neighboring Afghanistan.The United Nations Regional Centre forPreventive Diplomacy for Central Asia(UNRCCA) was established at the initiative ofthe governments of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to addressregional security threats such as terrorism, drugtrafficking, organized crime and environmentaldegradation. 1 The UN was not the first organizationto set up a political mission in the region.The OSCE has maintained a network of officesin regional capitals, in some cases for more than adecade, and t<strong>here</strong> is an EU Special Representative(EUSR) for Central Asia (see box).Inaugurated on 10 December 2007 at itsheadquarters in Ashgabad, Turkmenistan,UNRCCA’s mandate includes liaising with thegovernments of the region and, with their concurrence,with other parties concerned on issues relevantto preventive diplomacy; maintaining relationshipswith regional organizations and encouraging theirEthnic Uzbeks fleeing violence in Osh, Kyrgyzstan, wait in the border village ofSuratash, hoping to enter Uzbekistan, 15 June 2010.peacemaking efforts and initiatives; providing apolitical framework and leadership for the preventiveactivities of the UN country teams and residentcoordinators across the region; and maintainingclose contact with the United Nations AssistanceMission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).Key DevelopmentsIn order to put its broad mandate to best use,UNRCCA together with its member states hasidentified three top priorities for the region. Theseare cross-border threats from illicit activities:terrorism, organized crime and drug trafficking;environmental degradation and managementUN Photo