As the United Nations lead Agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities, and to build resilience to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Turkmenistan, being a long-term and fully trusted strategic development partner of the country, together with the government and other development actors in Turkmenistan works hard to support the country to address complex development issues across a broad spectrum of issues relating to democratic governance, environment and energy, and human development. In all these areas, we help strengthen national capacity and inject innovative solutions to promote social and economic growth and the national development agenda.

Being the biggest UN agency, UNDP in Turkmenistan employs around 70 staff and implements roughly 25 projects with annual delivery around USD 50 million in 2023 alone. Under the new UNDP-Turkmenistan Country Programme for 2021-2025 is well equipped to offer analytical, advisory and implementation services in the areas of:

1.      Governance and inclusive economic growth

2.      Resilience, climate change & energy

3.      Access to inclusive health services

Mission and vision

UNDP’s mandate is to end poverty, build democratic governance, strengthen the rule of law, human rights and justice, and help countries move towards low-carbon development, more sustainable use of natural resources, and build resilience to climate change and disasters. We advocate for change, and connect countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help make the SDGs a reality.

The UN Charter

The Charter of the United Nations was signed in San-Francisco on 26 June 1945, at the conclusion of the United Nations Conference on International Organization, and came into force on 24 October 1945. Its purposes and principles are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations based on equal rights and self-determination, and to achieve international co-operation in solving economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian challenges without distinction for race, sex, language, or religion.

History

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched in Turkmenistan in 1995 based on the Standard Basic Assistance Agreement signed between UNDP and the Government of Turkmenistan on 5 October 1993.

Over the past 30 years, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Turkmenistan has become a trusted strategic development partner of the Government. We have supported the country to address complex development issues across sectors and accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP in Turkmenistan is promoting human development and supporting the national development agenda.

What we do

UNDP is supporting Government’s efforts in spearheading the nationalization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and integrating the 2030 Agenda into the country’s national development framework.

Being a long-term strategic development partner of the country, together with the government and other development actors in Turkmenistan, we work to support the country in addressing a broad spectrum of issues relating to economic diversification, digitalization, the rule of law, human rights and gender equality, climate change mitigation and adaptation, sustainable management of natural resources, disaster risk reduction and improving the efficiency of health and social protection systems, with particular attention to the most vulnerable groups of the population.

To ensure all stakeholders are on board with the Agenda 2030, UNDP works with relevant ministries, agencies, international organizations and other development partners. UNDP provides platforms for joint actions and plays a key role in international development as an intermediary, bringing its best people and connecting countries to resources, knowledge and innovations.

In line with the global and regional discussions on the sustainable development agenda, the UNDP’s country programme reinforces the links between managing natural resources, economic development and human development. It targets socially excluded, vulnerable groups such as women, elderly people, persons with disabilities and the unemployed. UNDP's strategic collaboration with development partners is focused on innovative development of the national economy, improving the quality of social services and rational use of natural resources, with strong environmental protection policies offering solutions to climate change effects.

Recognizing that digitalization will reshape our future and ability to respond to the global challenges our world faces, we prioritized our efforts on expanding cooperation with Turkmenistan to support the country's digital transformation. We strengthen the country’s digital capacity in statistics, banking, finance, customs, civil registration and other public services in line with the State Programme of Turkmenistan for the Development of the Digital Economy for 2021-2025 and UNDP Digital Strategy 2022-2025. 

Guided by our new vision for a future-smart UNDP, as stated in our Strategic Plan, we embrace new ideas and raise our aspirations to act with more ambition and at a larger scale to meet and respond to new challenges and bring positive change towards more inclusive, fair and sustainable societies.

The new UNDP Gender Equality Strategy for 2022-2025 guides our work towards strengthening women’s economic empowerment, participation and leadership and removing obstacles to equality and women’s development despite deeply rooted traditional stereotypes. Together with partners, UNDP intends to strengthen the efforts to shift power structures, promote women’s development, end gender-based violence and tackle the social, political and economic drivers of gender discrimination.

In line with the National Programme for the Socio-Economic Development of Turkmenistan for 2022-2052, together with the Government of Turkmenistan, our international partners, CSOs and the people of Turkmenistan, UNDP continues to support the national development agenda, using world knowledge and the best practices, advanced technologies and innovative solutions to achieve 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and build a peaceful, secure and sustainable future in Turkmenistan, leaving no one behind.