Ashgabat, 23 November 2020: In the end of year 2020, dedicated to the 25^th anniversary of the permanent Neutrality status of Turkmenistan, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Turkmenistan meet to discuss the plans for the year ahead, as part of the implementation of the new five-year programme between UNDP and Turkmenistan for 2021-2025.

UNDP and its national partners discuss the draft project documents, annual work-plans and other cooperation documents that will define the actions in 2021 and beyond. The areas of cooperation include: SDGs, health, human rights, civil service statistics, digitization, economic diversification, trade, banking, disaster risk reduction, climate change, water and energy efficiency in agriculture, sustainable cities.

“We, as UNDP, have established a fruitful cooperation ties with many national ministries and agencies of Turkmenistan. It gives us a great pleasure to see the high level of engagement and interest of our national partners to expand our programme and activities which we implement together. Today’s event and our joint intention to start off 2021 with a new approved programme is a sign of reliance and confidence that the Government of Turkmenistan entrusts to UNDP,” noted Natia Natsvlishvili, UNDP Resident Representative a.i.

In September 2020, the UNDP Executive Board has approved the new 5-year cooperation plan between UNDP and Turkmenistan, which includes the following priorities:

        • governance, including more effective and transparent public administration, based on international standards and Turkmenistan’s commitments to rule of law, human rights and gender equality;

        • economic diversification, and digitization, better livelihoods in the non-hydro-carbon sectors of the economy, increased private sector competitiveness and trade, innovative and effective banking, and the creation of decent jobs, including for the care economy;

        • climate adaptation and mitigation and management of natural resources, and disaster risk reduction;

        • health and social protection system to deliver higher quality and more inclusive services, with a focus on control of tuberculosis and other infectious diseases, increasing prevention and response capacities for pandemics, improving treatment for noncommunicable diseases and expanding coverage of social protection for vulnerable groups.

UNDP is committed to supporting the Government of Turkmenistan in achieving its national development priorities in line with the Sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the interest of the people of Turkmenistan.