UN Resident Coordinator Participates in International Conference Marking Turkmenistan's 32nd Independence Celebration

During his remarks, Shlapachenko pointed to the active joint work being carried out with Turkmenistan within the framework of the Framework Program of Cooperation with the United Nations for 2021-2025.

Our many joint achievements make us proud on the international stage, he said.

Here are just some of the achievements of the UN agencies in Turkmenistan:

UNHCR - Turkmenistan is one of the few countries in the world that is on the right track to achieve the goal of the #IBelong campaign to eradicate statelessness in 2024.

IOM - With the participation of the UN, Turkmenistan has developed and implemented two National Action Plans to Combat Human Trafficking and supports the development of a new plan with a focus on women and girls in vulnerable situations. Comprehensive support has been provided to more than 420 Afghan migrants living in Turkmenistan.

UNFPA - A recent large-scale joint achievement is the conduct of a Continuous census of the population and housing stock in 2022. It is expected that the Government will soon provide disaggregated census data.

"The UN is ready to provide further expert support for analysis to implement national priorities, improve strategic planning, and evidence-based policy formation. As well as for monitoring the SDGs in accordance with the joint Action Plan to improve these SDGs," Shlapachenko stressed.

UNESCO - Within the framework of the Convention on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, more than 1,000 historical and cultural sites have been discovered and registered on the territory of Turkmenistan to date. Within the framework of the Convention, the following were inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List: the State Historical and Cultural Park "Ancient Merv", the historical and cultural park "Kunya-Urgench", the historical and cultural park "Parthian Fortresses of Nisa". Turkmenistan continues to actively cooperate with UNESCO, in particular on enriching the World Heritage List.

A package of 10 proposals for joint UN programs

According to Shlapachenko, following a meeting of the UN country team in June, a package of 10 proposals for joint UN programs was sibmitted to the Government of Turkmenistan. The proposals are fully in line with the transformational areas for investment in the SDGs announced this week at the SDG Summit.

In this regard, the Resident Coordinator expressed gratitude to the President of Turkmenistan, who at the UN General Assembly in New York announced a number of areas proposed for implementation through joint UN programs, including the creation of a Regional Center for Climate Change Technologies in Central Asia in Ashgabat, a Roadmap on methane emissions, initiatives on youth, peace and security, food security and others.

"I would like to affirm the readiness of the UN Country Team to continue working with relevant ministries on the preparation of program proposals for funding," he added.

The idea of a National Clean Climate Fund

In his speech, Dmitry Shlapachenko voiced the idea of creating a National Clean Climate Fund, which is also provided for by the National Strategy of Turkmenistan on Climate Change.

"Given Turkmenistan's steady progress towards achieving high-income country status, budget resources will remain the primary source of funding for the SDGs," he said.

Shlpachenko expressed readiness to support the creation of a multi-partner country SDG fund. In his opinion, piloting the fund is advisable in the area of joint climate change programs.

He believes that the creation of the fund will promote global awareness of the country's priorities, will attract additional funds from donors and the private sector, as well as develop innovative sources of funding, such as green bonds.

The Summit of the Future is ahead

Concluding his remarks, Dmitry Shlapachenko recalled that the world community will hold a Summit of the Future in 2024, building on the outcomes of the resent SDG Summit and aiming to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

He expressed confidence that Turkmenistan and the UN, working together to define the priorities of their joint work within the framework of the 2030 Agenda, can better focus on the well-being of the most vulnerable groups, enhance the effectiveness of their cooperation in achieving the SDGs, leaving no one behind.