In an interview with the Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper, Ivana Živković, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Deputy Administrator of UNDP, and UNDP Regional Director for Europe and the CIS, highlighted the strong partnership between UNDP and the Government of Turkmenistan on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Zhivkovich underscored the importance of UNDP’s global knowledge and expertise in supporting Turkmenistan’s efforts in various areas, including:
Climate change adaptation and mitigation:
Supporting the development of the National Strategy for Renewable Energy and the Law on Renewable Energy Sources.
Promoting water-saving and smart technologies in agriculture and implementing pilot projects for sustainable water supply.
Investing in energy-efficient street lighting and sustainable transport in Ashgabat and Avaza.
Public health:
Providing laboratory reagents, medicines, and medical supplies for preventing and controlling infectious and non-communicable diseases.
Supporting national programs to combat non-communicable diseases through providing high-quality medications.
Preparing to launch a new project to further enhance cooperation in healthcare and build sustainable health systems.
Digitalization:
Supporting the introduction of the automated customs management system (ASYCUDA) and the Single Window system for import and export operations.
Supporting the digitalization of banking services with the State Bank for Foreign Economic Affairs.
Assisting in the development of an electronic data exchange system for improved government efficiency and e-governance.
Empowering women and girls:
Supporting the creation of the Central Asian Women Leaders’ Caucus (CAWLC) jointly with the UNRCCA.
Organizing training and networking events on various topics, including STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), climate-sustainable agriculture, entrepreneurship, innovation and digitalization.
Živković commended Turkmenistan’s commitment to sustainable development and expressed UNDP’s continued support for the country’s progress.
She particularly highlighted the significance of the International Day of Neutrality, stating that Turkmenistan’s neutral status plays a crucial role in promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and globally amidst unprecedented global challenges and deep uncertainty. ///nCa, 11 December 2023 (Full text of the interview in Russia is available in the newspaper “Neutral Turkmenistan” of 9 December 2023)