OREANDA-NEWS. November 20, 2009. The Government of Turkmenistan and the leading UN agencies accredited to Turkmenistan conducted a joint meeting in the conference hall of the President Hotel to discuss the final overview of the 2005-2009 UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and present the plan of action under the similar program for the period of from 2010 to 2015.

The forum brought together the participants representing the national ministries and departments, public organisations directly involved in implementing the joint projects and the leading UN agencies – the UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and World Health Organization (WHO).

As is known, UNDAF launched long-term cooperation between the United Nations agencies and the Government of Turkmenistan. This document regulates cooperation in such spheres as economy, health care, education, environment, etc.

In his opening remarks Richard Young, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan the new UNDAF, which would be launched on January 1, 2010, opened up the vast opportunities to further intensify Turkmenistan-UN partnership. The UN Resident Coordinator said that the UNDAF objectives were fully consistent with Turkmenistan’s national priorities and interests set forth in the long-term national development strategy. It was noted that the joint plan of action within the 2010-2015 UNDAF was aimed at achieving the goals of the national development programmes of the Turkmen state, which was resolutely advancing along the path of fundamental social, economic and democratic reforms. Thanking the Government of Turkmenistan and partners – the UN agencies for contributing to the implementation of the UNDAF, Richard Young expressed belief that further cooperation in this field would promote flourishing in independent Turkmenistan and increase the welfare of citizens.

The participants evaluated the outcomes of cooperation, highlighted the joint achievements and identified the priority fields for cooperation within the 2010-2015 UNDAF. In particular, it was noted that the UN agencies in Turkmenistan were actively involved in implementing the reforms initiated by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in the social, economic, legal spheres, science, health care and education, local governance development, electoral processes, information and communication technologies.

The participants made a conclusion that the experience of cooperation accumulated by the UN and the Government of Turkmenistan in various fields would promote further fruitful collaboration in the framework of the UNDAF and offer new incentives to launch new programmes of cooperation.