A working meeting was held today to discuss cooperation plans for the coming year within the framework of the new five-year program between UNDP and the government of Turkmenistan for 2021-2025. This is reported in the press release of the UNDP.

The meeting is timed to the 25th anniversary of the permanent neutrality status of Turkmenistan.

New projects, annual work plans and other documents that will form the basis of cooperation in 2021 and beyond were discussed. Areas of cooperation include: SDG, health, human rights, statistical capacity-building, public service strengthening, digitalization, economic diversification, trade, banking, disaster risk reduction, climate change, water and energy efficiency in agriculture, and sustainable urban development.

Natia Natsvlishvili, I. O. Permanent representative of the UNDP in Turkmenistan:

"UNDP has established fruitful relations with many national ministries and departments of Turkmenistan. We are very pleased to see the high level of participation and interest of our national partners in expanding the program and activities that we are implementing together. Today's meeting and our joint intention to start 2021 with a new approved program is a sign of the trust that the government of Turkmenistan places in UNDP."

A new 5-year cooperation plan between UNDP and Turkmenistan was approved in September 2020. It covers the following priorities:

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

• economic diversification and digitalization, improving living conditions in non-carbon sectors of the economy, increasing the competitiveness of the private sector and trade, innovative and efficient banking, and creating decent jobs, including for the economy.;

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

• health and social protection systems to provide better and more inclusive services, focusing on the fight against tuberculosis and other infectious diseases, improving the capacity to prevent and respond to pandemics, improving the treatment of non-communicable diseases, and expanding social protection coverage for vulnerable groups.