The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development aims to ensure sustainable, progressive and inclusive growth, social integration and environmental protection, as well as to promote partnership for sustainable and resilient development. In Turkmenistan, the Agenda serves as a central strategy of the country, where government policies are focused on its implementation. As such, the National Programme for Social and Economic Development of Turkmenistan until 2030 and the Programme of the President of Turkmenistan for Social and Economic Development for the period 2019-2025 are aimed at achieving sustainable development and make consistent implementation of the SDGs as a main priority.

Activities on adaptation and integration of the SDGs in relevant national strategic programmes and plans in Turkmenistan began in 2016 with the formal adoption of the 2030 Agenda by the Government of Turkmenistan and conducting national consultations. 17 consultations were held with a wide range of stakeholders and with the support of UN agencies to discuss each of the goals. The nationalization process involved defining SDGs that were applicable to Turkmenistan, integrating them into national development plans and establishing the monitoring system. As the result of the analysis conducted to determine the relevance of the SDG targets and indicators to the country context, 17 SDG, 148 targets (of which 121 remained unchanged and 27 were adjusted according to the national priorities) and 187 indicators (of 241 global indicators) were formally adopted.

Subsequently, the number of indicators was revised up to 175 indicators due to changes at the global level. At the same time, to further define the Government's approach to SDGs implementation, assessment was conducted to evaluate the level of reflection of the SDGs in the existing national strategies and plans. The Rapid Integrated Assessment revealed that out of 148 adopted targets 124 targets, i.e. 84%, correspond or conventionally correspond to the existing policies of Turkmenistan.

The Programme of the President of Turkmenistan for Social and Economic Development for the period 2019-2025, adopted in February 2019, is a seven-year Action Plan on achieving sustainable development in the country. The goals and targets set out in the programme are interlinked with relevant 17 Sustainable Development Goal, and corresponding targets have been adjusted to take into account national circumstance.

The strategic objective and the main indicator of SDGs achievement within the framework of 2019-2025 Programme aimed at implementation of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is to ensure the well-being and further sustainable development of the country. The Programme provides an integrated approach to sustainable development by ensuring a multisectoral approach in socio-economic policies, prevention of climate change impacts, environmental protection and biodiversity, as well as institutional reforms.

Implementing the balanced macroeconomic policies and promoting high investment activity, especially in human capital and fulfillment of social obligations of the State, have an important role to play. The Programme on Social and Economic Developmentfortheperiod2019-2025aimsto keep the share of expenditures for the social sector (education, health, culture, pensions and social security) in the state budget at the level of at least 70 percent. In addition, during the period of Programme’s implementation it is planned to invest around 169 billion manats in development of the economy of Turkmenistan, of which 10 billion manats will be allocated for the improvement of social infrastructure in rural areas, including construction of hospitals, schools, pre- schools establishments, and water and sewage treatment plants.

Turkmenistan plans further integration of sustainable development goals and targets in national, sectoral and regional programmes, strategies and development plans, as well as the financial plans of the country. In this regard, a national coordination mechanism was established in the form of a Working Group comprised of the Deputy Heads of ministries, agencies, public organizations, academic and research institutions, which oversee the issues relating to SDG implementation and monitoring. The coordinating body is the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan. To monitor the progress of implementation and prepare reporting, the State Statistics Committee of Turkmenistan (TurkmenStat) was defined as an agency responsible for methodology of state and sector statistics, collection of state reports, coordination of activities on compilation of administrative data and sector statistics, and creation and maintenance of the SDGs database.