Ashgabat, 29 October 2020: The United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan  and State Customs Service of Turkmenistan convened an online introductory seminar “Turkmenistan Single Window alignment with the Revised UNECE Recommendation 33 on Single Window “as a first step towards realization of the Memorandum of Understanding on joint cooperation on assistance in implementation of the Single Window for Export-Import Operations in Turkmenistan signed on 13 October, 2020.

The seminar was attended by representatives of the UNDP, UNCTAD, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, State Customs Service of Turkmenistan, Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations of Turkmenistan, State Agency “Turkmenaragatnashyk”, Central Bank of Turkmenistan, Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan, State Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan, Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan, Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkmenistan, State Migration Service of Turkmenistan, Main State Service “Turkmestandartlary”, State Concern “Turkmenhimiya”.

The parties highly appreciated the strategic partnership between Turkmenistan, UNDP and UNCTAD. In this context, the fruitfulness of cooperation over the past years in development of the digital economy, sustainable transport and trade of Turkmenistan was particularly emphasized.

In cooperation with UNDP and UNCTAD, an integrated customs information system ASYCUDA World was introduced and developed within the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan. This system will become the main platform for the phased implementation of a “single window” for export-import operations in the financial sector of Turkmenistan, in particular banking, trade and transport sectors.

A single window will allow importers and exporters to electronically submit all regulatory documents in one portal, saving them time and reducing the costs of transactions. ASYCUDA World will electronically link customs clearance with all other regulatory procedures, including the request, delivery and monitoring of certificates, licenses and supporting documents needed to bring goods into and out of the country.

Within the joint project "Single Window for Export-Import Operations" the interested parties are going to intensify digitization, simplify and harmonize business processes for inter-agency partnership and strengthening Turkmenistan's position in global economic space.