United Nations Resident Coordinator’s in Turkmenistan speech at the Meeting of the Joint Steering Committee on the Implementation of the UN–Turkmenistan Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework

Dear Deputy Ministers and Heads of Agencies,

Heads and Representatives of UN Agencies,

Dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen,

I am pleased to welcome you all to our first meeting of the Joint Steering Committee on the implementation of the Cooperation Framework this year. First of all, I would like to note that the past year has been truly eventful and significant for our joint cooperation. Turkmenistan successfully hosted the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, which became an important international platform and gave a new impetus to the development of regional connectivity and sustainable development.

We also solemnly celebrated the 80th anniversary of the United Nations with a number of major events that highlighted the strength and depth of our partnership. In addition, the country marked the 30th anniversary of its permanent neutrality — a key principle of Turkmenistan’s foreign policy and an important contribution to strengthening peace, trust, and international cooperation.

I am confident that the issues included in the agenda of today’s meeting will lay a solid foundation for cooperation in the coming year.

As you know, during the meeting of the Joint Results Groups of the Cooperation Framework held two weeks ago, these issues were already discussed by our colleagues from the UN Country Team and national institutions. Based on the presentations delivered, the participants asked clarifying questions and made comments; however, overall they agreed on the relevance of the proposed activities, as they reflect our shared aspiration for progress in key areas of the Cooperation Framework, including:
(i) improving governance systems, strengthening budgetary capacity and ensuring the rule of law, including the protection of human rights;
(ii) economic and trade development and diversification;
(iii) supporting climate action and disaster risk reduction; and
(iv) improving healthcare, education, and social protection systems.

This year we have begun implementing the new UN–Turkmenistan Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for the period 2026–2030. The governance structure for implementing the Framework remains unchanged: according to the provisions of the Cooperation Framework, four Results Groups will continue to ensure effective coordination, planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting on the Framework’s outcomes.

At the strategic level, the implementation of the Cooperation Framework, as before, will be overseen and guided by the Steering Committee, co-chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the UN Resident Coordinator, and composed of key partner ministries at the deputy minister level and heads of UN system agencies. We shared with you the key provisions regarding the work of these two structures and received several comments and proposals, which were reflected in the final version. During the joint meeting of the Results Groups with representatives of the national side and the UN, the functions of these two governance mechanisms were discussed in detail and agreed upon. In this regard I propose that the Steering Committee approve the governance structure for implementing the new Cooperation Framework.

Next, I would like to particularly highlight the active participation of the Government of Turkmenistan in implementing the Cooperation Framework, especially regarding the financing of activities envisaged in the Joint Work Plans.

As analysis of invested resources shows, more than 80 percent of the Framework’s funding last year was provided by state resources. The largest share of government co-financing traditionally falls within the healthcare sector. In cooperation with the Government, we support the procurement and supply of medicines, vaccines, test systems, diagnostic and treatment equipment, the updating of clinical protocols, and training for medical personnel.

While expressing gratitude to the Government of Turkmenistan for this significant contribution, I would also like to express hope that such a trend will extend to other strategic areas where there is a wide range of directions with high potential for further cooperation, and where participation and financial support from the national side are of key importance.

Unfortunately, in recent years the UN system has faced significant reductions in development funding from donors. This became particularly acute in 2025 and continues in 2026. Many specialized agencies, funds and programmes of the UN have significantly reduced their programmatic activities and presence, especially in upper-middle-income and high-income countries.

Therefore, in 2025 the UN Secretary-General launched the “UN-80” Initiative aimed at creating a stronger and more effective UN that delivers real results for people at a time when we are expected to achieve more with fewer resources. The UN-80 Initiative focuses on improving efficiency and ways of working so that the UN becomes more flexible, responsive and sustainable, better equipped to help people whose lives directly depend on our work.

To achieve these goals, alongside the ongoing work of UN agencies supporting national priorities within their mandates, international donors also welcome the active use of mechanisms such as joint programmes.

The UN system thanks the Government of Turkmenistan for supporting the development of five joint programmes out of the nine ideas previously proposed. UN agencies have actively discussed the proposed joint programmes with the relevant ministries and agencies, covering areas such as youth, peace and security; digitalization; energy transition and methane emission reduction; and climate technologies. Given Turkmenistan’s status as an upper-middle-income country, it is important to note that without stable government financing the implementation of planned projects and the achievement of the set goals will be impossible.

Mr. Sergiy Prohoriv, Programme Manager of the Swedish Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation, will present a more detailed overview of the UN system’s financing situation. He will talk about current global trends in UN financing and how they affect individual countries such as Turkmenistan. In this regard, we would be grateful to the Government of Turkmenistan for allocating the necessary resources in the state budget as well as in other domestic sources to finance development programmes within the implementation of the five-year Cooperation Framework.

In addition to the planned joint programmes, there are also a number of ready work plans and project documents currently under consideration by national agencies, including:

• UNICEF projects with the Ministry of Finance and Economy and the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry
• The annual UNFPA work plan with the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry in reproductive health and family planning
• UNODC projects on trafficking in persons, cybercrime, anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing
• A WHO project with the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry supported by the Islamic Development Bank
• Financial commitments related to the signed agreement with FAO to open a Representation Office

Taking this opportunity, I kindly request that the consideration and approval of financing for these plans and documents be accelerated to advance the implementation of the Cooperation Framework and the achievement of the SDGs.

Dear partners,

I would like to particularly highlight the positive dynamics of cooperation between the Government of Turkmenistan and the UN system in promoting the rights and interests of persons with disabilities. In my view, we have made progress in achieving a common understanding that the inclusion of people with disabilities is necessary to create conditions for broader opportunities for the realization of their rights. In this regard, alongside continuing cooperation in promoting the rights of women and youth, I believe it would be advisable to deepen work in this area within the agreements reached last year.

I also see great potential in implementing our plans to hold expert dialogues based on the regular UN Country Analysis. Such closed-door “Hard Talk” dialogues allow for deeper discussion of pressing issues in strategic development areas.

Let me note that in preparing the updated UN Country Analysis we applied a new foresight approach (horizon scanning) in line with the UN Secretary-General’s UN 2.0 agenda to identify early signals of risks and opportunities and better target joint programmes and financing towards priority SDG transformations.

The first and very productive Hard Talk this year on expanding preschool education took place last week. I hope that we will be able to hold all planned meetings during the first half of this year. The UN system is also ready to submit ideas for direct dialogues on other important topics.

The main results of the UN Country Analysis will be presented today by Vladimir Valetka, Economist at the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office.

Allow me also to draw your attention to several issues whose resolution could accelerate our progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda.

First, I propose including in the “Hard Talk” agenda a closed discussion of the energy foresight results (scenarios up to 2050 and no-regret measures for 2026–2030) to agree on practical steps to reduce risks and expand cooperation.

Second, the UN request to the Government for co-financing priority Joint Programmes is a key condition for sustainable implementation and demonstration of national commitment to the SDGs. At the same time, the UN is also mobilizing donor resources to promote important joint initiatives. In particular, for the Joint Programme on methane emission reduction we have already submitted a proposal for a UN contribution of over USD 1 million starting in 2026 and request the assistance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in obtaining a government support letter for submission to the Mitigation Action Facility to attract USD 20 million. The corresponding note has been sent to the Ministry.

Third, I would also like to highlight the work carried out by the UN Economic Commission for Europe together with UNEP and the International Institute for Sustainable Development to prepare Turkmenistan’s first National Environmental Performance Review. Since the finalization of the document is being delayed, there is a risk of losing the allocated funds for its publication within the required timeframe. We would appreciate support in accelerating this process, as the funds will only be available until the end of March this year. Publication of the report would fulfill an important obligation under the Aarhus Convention to ensure public access to environmental information in Turkmenistan and would represent a significant achievement.

I also hope it will be possible to present the report in Ashgabat and at the Regional Environmental Summit in Astana.

Another issue concerns the launch of the regional Environmental Performance Review for Central Asia initiated by four countries in the region. For Turkmenistan’s full participation, it is crucial to accelerate the provision of an official response and nominate a national representative, which would allow the invitation of experts to a technical seminar on April 20–21 in Astana and participation at the ministerial level on April 23 at the Regional Environmental Summit.

We would appreciate your support in resolving this matter.

I now give the floor to the co-chairs of the Results Groups, who will present the main achievements of 2025 and the Joint Work Plans for implementing the Cooperation Framework in 2026.