IfG.CC - The Potsdam eGovernment Competence Center

The importance of the digitalization process in Turkmenistan stipulates the transition to the fourth industrial revolution and the sixth technological mode, Trend reports referring to the Altyn Asyr newspaper.

'A round table on the Digital Economy Development Concept in Turkmenistan was held at the Academy of Public Administration under the President of Turkmenistan, the message said.

“The use of latest achievements and high technologies, improving efficiency of public administration, introduction of e-Government will become an important factor in the further progress and confident progressive development of the Turkmen society,” Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said on Friday, signing a corresponding resolution.

Auch Turkmenistan ist jetzt wieder drin: Zwei Tage nach der Vereidigung des neuen Präsidenten Gurbanguly Berdymuchammedow haben in dem abgeschotteten asiatischen Land am Freitag die ersten beiden öffentlichen Internet-Cafes geöffnet.

In aller Stille und ohne Werbung, wie ein Angestellter des staatlichen Telekommunikationsunternehmens TurkmenTelekom einräumte, der sich daher auch nicht über die ausbleibende Kundschaft wunderte.

In his keynote address at the inaugural session of TurkmenTEL 2012 at Ashgabat, Kapil Sibal, minister for communications & IT, government of India recalled historical ties between India and Turkmenistan and emphasized the need for regional cooperation to uplift the social and economic status of the people in the region.

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov determined the deadlines for completion of the digitalization process in the country by October this year and emphasized the importance of creating conditions for the functioning of e-Government system.

President noted that the transition of print media from traditional paper to digital form and Internet versions is one of the priorities of digitalization of the Turkmen media.

During the conversation, Rustam Minnikhanov expressed confidence that bilateral cooperation between Turkmenistan and Tatarstan would be strengthened, noting the success of projects for the purchase of equipment manufactured by KAMAZ and development of oil wells in Turkmenistan by oilmen of Tatarstan. "We need to develop a number of other projects in the field of shipbuilding, aerospace, tourism," the president of Tatarstan said. According to him, Tatarstan's companies are currently developing several alternative projects for the establishment of gambling zones in the territory of Turkmenistan's national tourist zone "Avaza".

One such anecdote goes like this: Getting anything accomplished on the web is about as convenient as using a mobile phone tethered to a desk.

According to the report, the president talked about the change during a video conference with the participants of a workshop meeting on further improving the government's electronic document control, currently being held in Ashgabat.

Berdimuhammadov stressed the need to introduce "this advanced method in all sectors of the national economy".

Turkmenistan is ready to expand international cooperation in the field of digitalization and green technologies.

This was stated by the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov, speaking at the 70th session of the UN Economic Commission for Europe dedicated to digital and green transformation.

Berdymukhamedov first voiced the idea in April 2010, instructing Turkmen specialists “to study international experience in the relevant area.” He followed that by establishing an IT unit to guide e-government implementation.

Aware that his country is far behind in terms of egovernment, the president has made efforts to pinpoint the hurdles and has made moves to overcome some of them. He ordered computer literacy courses for government employees, students and schoolchildren at the beginning of this year, for example.

The president of Turkmenistan on Thursday officially inaugurated a vast, multibillion-dollar development hailed as the country's first “smart city” and named after the president's father, who established a pervasive cult of personality when he was the longtime ruler.

The city designed for 70,000 is named Arkadag (Protector), a title used by former president Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, who led the country for 15 years before being succeeded last year by his son Serdar.

According to the report, starting from June 17, the Turkmen State Migration Service starts issuing new biometric passports to Turkmen citizens with Russian passports as well.

“Former President Saparmurat Niyazov could promise something and forget all about it – unlike Berdymukhamedov, who keeps his word and moves toward his proclaimed goal step by step,” Vitaly Shukurov, 40, a programming engineer from Ashgabat, said.

Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov signed a decree to this effect "to improve the efficiency of public administration on the basis of modern organization of interdepartmental information exchange, ensuring effective application of information and communication technologies, and enhancing safety and security of information."

The issue was addressed today at a meeting between President Gurbangulu Berdimuhammedov and U.N. Secretariat Economic and Social Affairs Department Adviser Alexei Tikhomirov.

Turkmenistan intends to introduce an e-workflow and the e-government e-document handling system.

A meeting with Natia Natsvlishvili, Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Turkmenistan, was held at the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan (UIET), Trend reports referring to UIET.

The meeting participants named interaction on the development of services in the Awaza tourist zone as well as on the introduction of digital technologies as promising areas of cooperation. They also discussed opportunities for expanding cooperation for implementation of UNDP projects, and the “smart-city” project in particular, according to the source.

The project was discussed during the meeting between Turkmenistan President Gurbangulu Berdimuhammedov and UN Secretariat Economic and Social Affairs Department Adviser Alexei Tikhomirov early this month.

Among the topics discussed are reforming and strengthening of mechanisms for public administration including macroeconomic management, personnel training and advanced training.

The former president, for whom the entire city was built, did not turn up for the inauguration, preferring instead to embark on a trip to Mecca.

The opening of Turkmenistan’s newest city, Arkadag, was performed with the requisite fanfare on June 29.

Ein Sprecher der staatlichen turkmenischen Telefongesellschaft Turkmentelecom hat am Montag in der Hauptstadt Aschgabad bekannt gegeben, dass sein Unternehmen demnächst mehrere Internet-Cafes in dem zentralasiatischen Land eröffnen werde.

During a late October cabinet session in Ashgabat, Berdymukhamedov announced an initiative to promote e-government. The electronic revolution, according to Berdymukhamedov’s vision, will begin on the local level and work its way up to the national level.