The third meeting of the SPECA Economic Forum was held in conjunction with the third session of the SPECA Governing Council on 20 October 2008 in Moscow with support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. The 2008 SPECA Economic Forum brought together high-level government policymakers, executives from the private sector, researchers, representatives of neighbouring States, as well as regional organizations and multilateral financial institutions. The topic “Investment Partnerships for Stronger Economic Cooperation and Integration in Central Asia” is highly relevant for SPECA member countries, and the host of the Forum, the Russian Federation, is one of the most important trading partners of the region as well as a leading investor in Central Asia.