UN and development partners explore private sector potential for Sustainable Development.

Such a high-level study visit of international visitors was a result of the UN initiative to foster partnerships with private sector started back in 2023, when the UN in Turkmenistan and the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan (UIET) had signed the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals and successfully launched the UN-Private Sector Partnerships Platform – an operational arm for the implementation of the Memorandum. 

The host company made a presentation of its mission and vision, and innovative business operations focusing on sustainability principles and eco-friendly technologies used in paper production. 

Agricultural and textile waste, as major sources for paper and cardboard production at NowaEco, was previously burned or collected at wastelands by agricultural and textile producers throughout the country. Having introduced the environmentally friendly technology for recycling and processing agricultural and textile waste it has now become possible to produce 230K tonnes of value-added products such as corrugated cartons, paper bags and cardboard, notebooks, and A4 office paper from 290K tonnes of waste.

NowaEco’s management team shared their vision of going beyond the profits and monetary income. The project has  unlocked more than 500 jobs for the Ahal region residents, substantively reduced the carbon footprint of two major sectors of the economy in Turkmenistan, the agriculture and textile industry, introduced circular economy principles at the enterprise and local levels, and contributed to the implementation of SDGs 1, 8, 9, 12, 13, and 15. See more at the company’s web page: NowaEco – Making Sustainable Future Reality

The UN and the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan are set to continue spreading knowledge of sustainable business practices throughout  Turkmenistan, as well as promote in the regions the best practices among Turkmen private businesses contributing to sustainable development and SDGs implementation in the country.