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Ashgabat, 5 February 2013 – Turkmenistan, being among 66 countries participating in the UN-led discussions on defining the post-2015 global development framework, will officially launch the national consultations process on 18 February 2013, having agreed today the consultation plan. This was decided at the second meeting of the UN-Turkmenistan Joint Task Group charged with preparation of the national consultations. The composition of the Turkmen part of this group was approved by the resolution of the President of Turkmenistan on 18 January 2013. The UN part of the Joint Task Group consists of the heads of UN agencies and affiliated organizations working in the country.

The meeting took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. Members of the Joint Task Group agreed on the overall plan for the national consultations, including the groups that will be consulted, the questions to be asked and the methodologies to be used.

The adoption of the Millennium Declaration in 2000 by all 189 countries was a defining moment for global development cooperation. In recognition of the need to translate this commitment into action the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were adopted. Since their endorsement by the UN General Assembly, the MDGs have defined a common framework of priorities for the development community. In September 2010, a High Level Plenary meeting of the General Assembly convened to review the progress on the MDG targets and agreed on a concrete action plan to accelerate progress towards their full achievement by 2015. It also called on the UN System to continue informing the global debate on development and to lead the international discussion on a post 2015 development agenda.

The objective of the global process on post-2015 national consultations is to stimulate an inclusive debate on what the next  post-2015 development framework should look like, by providing an analytical base, inputs and ideas that (a) build a shared global vision on 'The Future We Want', with clear recommendations for governments, civil society and broad stakeholders; (b) amplify the voices of the poor and other marginalized groups in the  formal negotiation processes; and (c) influence the intergovernmental processes so that they align with the aspirations of civil society for a post-2015 agenda.

The national consultations will become the mechanisms to express and hear the voices of the young, vulnerable, women and men. With this in mind, the national consultations in Turkmenistan will cover non-governmental organizations, including people with disabilities; farmers and rural entrepreneurs with special focus on men and women; youth, including young people from refugees and stateless communities; schoolchildren under 15; parents of children under 7 as well as government officials; members of parliament and local authorities.

The national consultations will provide an opportunity for people of Turkmenistan to express their views on the future that they want, as well as their views on what they would like to be included in the next global development framework period after 2015.

The national consultations in Turkmenistan are expected to run until late May of 2013. By June 2013, the results of the national consultations will be compiled and will be considered as part of the UN Secretary General report to be presented in August/September to the UN General Assembly.

This process will facilitate the government to integrate the post 2015 development framework into its national policies, plans and strategies.