CLDP Attorney Michael Cofield participated in the U.S.-Central Asia Trade and Investment Framework Agreement annual meetings on October 21-22, 2019 in Washington, DC. On Monday, October 21, CLDP briefed the TIFA-level Working Groups on the work and results of the CLDP-facilitated regional Expert Level Working Groups on customs issues, standards, sanitary/phytosanitary measures, intellectual property rights, and women’s economic empowerment. The briefing focused on the importance of the Central Asian governments’ nominating consistent expert-level delegates authorized to identify and contribute to regionally-focused projects geared toward simplifying and increasing cross-border trade. Despite commendable recent improvements, the Central Asian region remains one of the least integrated regions globally. By assisting the governments of Central Asia to collaborate on trade-focused initiatives, the CLDP-facilitated Expert Level Working Groups can contribute to their efforts to promote broader market access, greater prosperity, and economic diversification.