UNFPA delegation, led by UNFPA Regional Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Mr. Heimo Laakkonen, visited Turkmenistan on 26-28 May 2014.
The purpose of the visit was to discuss perspectives for cooperation between the UNFPA and Turkmenistan as the upper-middle income country and highlight possibilities for the country to accelerate its role in the region to promote principles of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). Mr. Laakkonen was accompanied by Mr. Karl Kulessa, UNFPA Country Director for Turkmenistan.
During the mission, UNFPA held a meeting with Mr. Vepa Hajiyev, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. The extensive discussion was focused around the issues of bilateral cooperation between Turkmenistan and UNFPA, in particular, the future ways for the country to support joint Government-UNFPA programmes, in the context associated with a new status of Turkmenistan as an upper-middle-income country. Mr. Laakkonen also expressed appreciation for Turkmenistan's support and active participation in ICPD beyond 2014 dialogue on responding to the new population challenges faced in the region.
UNFPA Regional Director also met with Ms. Akja Nurberdiyeva, Chairperson of Mejlis (Parliament). The sides discussed the results and perspectives of the expanded partnership in the area of youth legislation, gender mainstreaming and evidence-based policy development and implementation.
UNFPA delegation also held talks on the national development priorities and prospect of cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Healthcare and Medical Industry, State Statistics Committee, Academy of Civil Service and National Institute of Democracy and Human Rights.
During his official visit, Mr. Laakkonen also participated at the high-level advocacy event “Partnering for Development” dedicated to the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry and UNFPA. The agreement envisages that Turkmenistan will fully cover national needs for modern contraceptives and other reproductive health commodities from its state budget by 2017. The event was organized at the Ministry of Health and was attended by key government partners. UNFPA will be gradually entering the new level of cooperation with Turkmenistan, where the country will be taking increasing financial ownership of the national and regional programmes, as Turkmenistan has the resources to lead on and finance the work in these areas.
A joint meeting was also arranged with the United Nations Country Team to discuss the opportunities around new UNDAF roll-out. UNFPA Regional Director stressed the importance of Delivering as One for the UN agencies in Turkmenistan. Mr. Laakkonen emphasized UNFPA's new Middle-income country strategy, which invites such countries to seriously consider matching funds to UNFPA country programmes.
At the end of the official mission, the UNFPA delegation visited the birth giving facilities in Gokdepe to review the existing services in the area of emergency obstetric care. “Six babies were born at the hospital today, the latest baby is only four hours old,” shared Dr. Annamyrat Hanov, Head of the Ene Mahri center. Within the framework of UNFPA and Government cooperation, the number of such birth giving facilities in Turkmenistan providing comprehensive emergency obstetric care services has increased by 3.6 times since 2010. It is noteworthy that in 2012, with introduction of the standards of clinical care, the quality of services has improved in the area of maternal and newborn health.
Resources:
UNFPA Regional Director’s bio
In the news:
State News Agency of Turkmenistan (TDH)
Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper
Watan news, all official Turkmen channels
News blog of the Permanent Mission of Turkmenistan to the UN
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For additional information, please contact
Bayramgul Garabayeva, UNFPA Assistant Representative
Ene Tuyliyeva, Advocacy Communication Associate
Tel: 425250
Web: unfpa.org.tm, www.untuk.org
