What the last cycle demonstrated
Progress toward the CI Strategy 2026–2030 in developing policy-relevant knowledge, expanding capacity development, strengthening regional networks and moving toward more integrated programming.
Visual brief · Draft for stakeholders
Rolling Operational Plan2027–2028
The CAREC Institute’s two-year operating agenda under the CI Strategy 2026–2030 — what was delivered in 2026, and what the Institute will build next across seven priority themes.
- 7
- Priority thematic areas
- Unchanged from 2026
- ~80
- Institutions in the CTTN
- Think tanks & universities
- 43
- Knowledge products in 2026
- To 7 August 2026
- ~20
- Capacity activities per year
- Planned 2027 & 2028
- 868k
- Website visitors
- 2.068m page views, as of 7 August 2026
- ~30
- MoU partnerships
- Around 30 in total; five signed in 2026 as of August
Chapter I · Summary
What the last cycle showed, and what comes next
The implementation experience of the previous planning cycle provides a strong foundation for the Institute's 2027–2028 priorities, while also highlighting areas that require further strengthening.
A growing knowledge portfolio
Regional knowledge products covering green finance, transport connectivity, digital and sustainable trade facilitation, e-logistics, critical minerals and economic monitoring — with several initiatives moving beyond analysis into country-level application.
Networks and country responsiveness
The CAREC Think Tank Network was enhanced as a platform for collaborative research and as co-implementer of CI activities, while the Country Needs Assessment was resumed to provide a stronger basis for country-responsive programming.
Where strengthening is needed
Greater consistency in translating activities into measurable policy influence and sustained country-level impact, alongside stronger in-house research capacity, cross-divisional coordination, stakeholder engagement and resource mobilization.
What this plan therefore emphasizes
Integrated multi-year programs, clearer roles and performance indicators, stronger research and publication capacity, systematic use of the Country Needs Assessment, and deeper engagement with national stakeholders and regional partners.
The organizing logic
Initiatives work best when research, capacity development, policy dialogue and partnerships combine around clearly defined regional or country needs — so the plan consolidates what has worked and places greater emphasis on quality, continuity, policy uptake and measurable results.
Guiding principles
Five principles shaping how the Institute works
The plan builds on the CI Strategy 2026–2030, emphasizing responsiveness, institutional capacity, collaboration and development impact — with an organizational structure adaptable to a rapidly shifting global landscape.
Methodology
A consultative process drawing on the Country Needs Assessment, the Governing and Advisory Councils, Quarterly Review Meetings and NFP Advisers, with inputs integrated across all divisions.
Continuity by design
Priority areas remain unchanged from 2026 so the Institute can deepen specialization, build long-term partnerships and deliver sustained policy impact.
Implementation approach
Shared planning, joint program design and integrated delivery become standard practice, guided by clear roles, performance indicators and results-based management.
Priorities and thematic focus
Seven integrated thematic areas
Research, capacity building, policy dialogue and knowledge sharing are organized around the same seven themes introduced in 2026 — a deliberate continuity that builds institutional specialization.
CITA 2030
Trade, Trade Facilitation and E-commerce
Trade facilitation remains the most effective lever for economic integration and diversification. CI supports the CAREC Integrated Trade Agenda through research on transaction costs, border procedures, supply-chain resilience, digital trade and cross-border e-commerce.
Customs modernizationRisk managementDigital trade systemsPeer learning
Chapter III
Review of 2026 against the ROP 2025–2026
Progress as of August 2026 across institutional development, economic monitoring, research, capacity building and knowledge management — distinguishing completed work from items still scheduled for later in 2026.
Strategy 2026–2030 implementation began
Divisional work plans and budgets aligned to the Strategy; programmatic approach embedded across operations.
Scheduled: 2nd Tianshan Forum for Central Asia Economic Cooperation, 2–3 November 2026, Almaty — subforums on Investing in Central Asia and Local Government Cooperation.
CAREC Think Tank Network revitalized with a collaborative digital workspace.
Regular NFP Advisers/RCC meetings established with member countries.
Country Needs Assessment resumed as a core mechanism for program design.
Internal learning expanded through peer-learning events and expert exchanges with research institutions, international organizations and development partners.
Chapter IV
Planned activities for 2027 and 2028
Five delivery tracks translate the Strategy into an expanded, measurable program of work.
01
Institutional Activities
Consolidating a programmatic, results-oriented and demand-driven operating model.
- Work plans and budgets organized around integrated multi-year programs.
- Clarified roles, streamlined processes and measurable performance indicators reported to the Governing Council.
- Country Needs Assessment institutionalized as the core mechanism for country-responsive programming.
- CTTN digital platform, annual research grants and the CAREC Think Tank Development Forum strengthened.
- Publication Board restructured and reformed to strengthen peer review and publication quality, with additional researchers recruited from the region for the Research Division.
- Peer learning and staff development to build a collaborative 'One CI' culture.
02
Economic Monitoring
Faster, deeper regional monitoring — with the technology workstream subject to ADB technical assistance.
- Subject to ADB technical assistance: pilot automated data extraction and processing (APIs and web scraping) from statistical agencies, central banks and IFIs.
- Explore LLM/NLP summarization to support the Weekly Economic News Digest.
- Begin developing a machine-learning early-warning dashboard for macroeconomic anomalies.
- Second-phase e-commerce survey in 2027 on digital payments, logistics, consumer trust and regulatory barriers.
- Continue work on EV infrastructure and the Chinese-enterprise investment survey.
- Continue policy-relevant briefs on trade integration, FDI and macroeconomic stability.
03
Research and policy translation
Consolidate completed outputs, continue the analytical cycle, and convert findings into dialogue, training and country application. Several research workstreams continue from the 2026–2027 cycle.
- Finalize and disseminate the CPMM Annual Report 2025 and continue the annual CPMM cycle.
- Disseminate the completed Central Asia Development Report on green finance through targeted outreach and policy discussions.
- Launch the new investment-promotion project in Uzbekistan with the Uzbekistan Investment Promotion Agency.
- Follow up the published CI–UNESCAP trade-facilitation report; finalize publication of the containerization and e-logistics studies.
- Continue two country applications already underway with ADB: Kazakhstan Logistics Passport and the Kyrgyz NELS scoping study.
- Advance the AI in Transportation initiative with the ADB Transport Sector Group and ITF/OECD; concept note is being finalized.
- Support an operational plan for the CAREC Institute Centre of Transport and Logistics.
- Continue the ADB–CI Visiting Fellows Program.
04
Capacity Development
Around 20 activities each year, anchored on proven flagship formats.
- CAREC Leadership Training with Zhejiang University, 2027 edition focused on AI+Health; WHO collaboration to be explored, subject to partner confirmation.
- Inaugural CAREC Forum on AI+, opening with health systems and governance; partnership elements subject to partner confirmation.
- Second 'Silk Road E-Commerce' Government-Enterprise Forum with CATIS, alongside the China-Eurasia Expo.
- Multi-session online Cross-Border E-commerce training with CATIS for university leaders.
- Continued climate-resilient agriculture and water support, including possible additional study tours designed around country demand.
- Five new online policy dialogues built on CI-led research projects.
- Transport, public finance and accounting workshops with ADB, SNAI and XNAI.
- Four Online CAREC Institute Chai Talks each year, plus continued e-learning delivery.
05
Knowledge Management
Communication organized around the flagship event calendar.
- Partnerships aligned to flagship initiatives with earlier stakeholder and media engagement.
- Publications repackaged into digital formats for wider dissemination.
- Website enhancement with centralized event information and multilingual core materials.
- Structured social media schedules and lightweight interactive elements during events.
- Flagship-specific metrics compared against 2026 baselines to guide adjustments.
- Planned: Global Poverty Reduction Practice Workshop Series under the GPPAD framework.
Partnerships and networking
Working with partners across the region
The CAREC Think Tank Network now reaches nearly 80 institutions, and the Institute holds MoU partnerships with around 30 organizations.
Asian Development BankADB InstituteUNESCAPZhejiang UniversityShanghai National Accounting InstituteXiamen National Accounting InstituteChina Association of Trade in ServicesUzbekistan Investment Promotion AgencyMinistry of Water Resources, UzbekistanInternational Transport Forum (OECD)Xinjiang UniversityUniversity of Central AsiaInternational Institute for Central AsiaXinjiang Institute of Ecology and GeographyEFSDGPPAD
Every division, team and staff member will contribute to sustaining the directions introduced in 2026 — embedding a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability and continuous improvement.