The Task Force on Regional Energy Cooperation in Central and Southern Asia was set up as a means to intensify and develop cross-border energy trade on the basis of the Energy Charter Treaty. At the start, when the initial participating countries were Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan the delegations agreed on the following recommendations:
Enhancing their cooperation within the framework of the Energy Charter Treaty through a systematic channel for sharing information and know-how;
Establishing a task force made up of national focal points, and focal points in the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and other stakeholders;
Developing a legal and technical framework for facilitating a sustainable and secure regional power trade based on the Energy Charter Treaty.
With time, the scope of the Task Force grew to include more participating countries and to cover not just electricity, but also other energy sources. As of June 2011, the Task Force brings together: