LocationsUNDP and Partners Hold Webinars on Turkmenistan's Accession to the WTO
October 16, 2024
UNDP and Partners Hold Webinars on Turkmenistan's Accession to the WTO
Ashgabat, October 15-16, 2024 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan, organized a series of webinars as part of the joint project "Partnering for SDG Acceleration, Phase III," aimed at preparing the country for accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The first webinar, held on October 15, 2024, focused on “Ways to Protect the Services Market in the Context of Trade Liberalization within the WTO: The Example of Financial Services,” with participation from international UNDP expert Alexandra Mochalova. She highlighted that "financial services are essential to a country's economic stability and growth, prompting governments to regulate the sector to ensure more effective integration into the global economy while safeguarding national interests."
Participants, including representatives from national ministries and agencies, were introduced to instruments for protecting the financial services market outlined in the WTO's General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), as well as additional tools not currently regulated under GATS, such as emergency safeguard measures and subsidies.
On October 16, 2024, a webinar was conducted with the participation of international UNDP expert Maxim Medvedkov, who emphasized that "incorporating GATS rules into Turkmenistan’s national legislation would give a positive boost to the development and improvement of market access regulation in the services sector, leading to increased investments and expanded opportunities for consumers." Medvedkov presented an analytical report outlining measures to align Turkmenistan's legislation with the provisions of the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). The webinar also covered the initiative on domestic regulation of services and the possibility of incorporating WTO disciplines on domestic regulation into national legislation.
The events held at the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan brought together about 35 representatives from more than 20 national ministries and departments, as well as leading universities of Turkmenistan.
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The collaborative project "Partnering for SDG acceleration, Phase III" between UNDP and the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan serves as a joint platform for coordinating the efforts of relevant ministries, departments, and UN agencies in achieving the SDGs. The project focuses on monitoring progress toward achieving the SDGs, examining international practices in financing sustainable development, and undertaking measures to prepare for accession to the WTO.
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