A round table dedicated to the preparation of Turkmenistan’s third Voluntary National Review (VNR) on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was held today at the United Nations Building in Ashgabat, bringing together government representatives, UN entities, and civil society organizations.
The event was co-hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan, jointly with the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office and The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Opening the meeting, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan emphasized the importance of launching of the third VNR preparation process as a key milestone in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“We welcome the decision of the Government of Turkmenistan to present its third Voluntary National Review at the High-Level Political Forum next year, including progress across all 17 Sustainable Development Goals. This demonstrates the country’s strong commitment to the 2030 Agenda, as well as to transparency and accountability,” said the UN Resident Coordinator.
Turkmenistan already has significant experience in doing VNRs in 2019 and 2023 demonstrating strong results towards the 2030 Agenda. The participants noted that the third VNR presents an important opportunity to reflect on achievements, assess remaining challenges, and identify priorities for accelerating progress towards the Goals.
Discussions highlighted the critical role of high-quality, timely and disaggregated data as the foundation for evidence-based policymaking and effective SDG implementation. The participants emphasized the need to further strengthen national statistical systems and analytical capacities to support monitoring, reporting and informed decision-making.
Building on the successful collaboration during the preparation of the previous VNRs, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), providing an important platform for the UN system to engage with the Government of Turkmenistan throughout the third VNR, has committed to provide comprehensive technical expertise, policy advisory services, data analysis and support for inclusive multi-stakeholder engagement through the fourth phase of the joint project “Platform for SDG Implementation” Leveraging national and international expertise, the project will support a robust, participatory and evidence-based review process aligned with global VNR guidelines and international best practices.
The speakers at the event also emphasized the importance of financing for sustainable development, including mobilizing domestic resources and directing strategic investments toward human capital development, economic transformation, and environmental sustainability.
The principle of “leaving no one behind” was underscored throughout the discussions, with particular attention to integrating gender equality and the inclusion of persons with disabilities into all aspects of the review process.
The round table further highlighted that the VNR should serve not only as a reporting exercise but also as a forward-looking strategic document addressing national risks, including climate and socio-economic challenges, and supporting long-term, sustainable development planning.
During the event, the participants engaged in thematic sessions focusing on the VNR preparation roadmap and international experience, statistical reporting on the SDGs, and methodologies for strengthening the analytical content of the review, such as UNESCAP tools of LNOB analysis and SDG Tracker.
The meeting concluded with a call for active participation and inclusive engagement of all stakeholders to ensure the VNR process is open, collaborative, inclusive and impactful for the people of Turkmenistan. Participants also discussed and agreed on the next steps in the VNR preparation process, ensuring a clear roadmap moving forward. ///nCa, 16 June 2026 (cross-post from UN Turkmenistan)