At a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on May 13, the vice-premiers reported to President Serdar Berdimuhamedov on the implementation of the Concept for the Development of the Digital Economy in Turkmenistan for 2019-2025 and the State Program for the Development of the Digital Economy in Turkmenistan for 2021-2025 in the sectors they supervise. This was reported by the state news agency TDH .
Director General of the Transport and Communications Agency Mammetkhan Chakiev said that the Concept is being implemented in three stages. Within the framework of the first, under the leadership of the Türkmenaragatnasyk (Turkmensvyaz) agency, an Interdepartmental Commission for the Development of the Digital Economy was created. Also, according to Chakiev, laws are being improved, and departments are creating websites.
Read about how the Internet works in the country in the HT article “Internet in Turkmenistan: Outdated Technologies, Arbitrary Censorship and Fake Developments”.
The second stage (2020-2023) provides for the introduction of information technologies and ensuring information security. The Unified State Services Website has already been created, where “links about various types of online payments and services are posted.” Also at this stage, "Electronic government" should start working.
At the third stage (2024–2025), the modernization and introduction of digital technologies into the economy will continue; A single information center will be created.
In March, UNDP signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Turkmenaragatnashyk Agency of the Transport and Communications Agency, under which the organization will help Turkmenistan digitalize its public administration system.
Then the official presented the draft resolution "On the approval of standards for the protection of communication lines", which President Serdar Berdimuhamedov signed.
Chakiev also suggested creating an Intersectoral Commission under the Cabinet of Ministers for classifying the degree of importance of information infrastructure facilities . The head of state approved the proposal and noted the importance of modernizing the information transmission system and communications infrastructure.
Deputy Prime Minister for Economic, Banking and International Financial Organizations Muhammetguly Mukhammedov reported on the launch of a digital system in the Ministry of Finance for holding tenders, as well as auctions for the privatization of state property. He also said that since 2019, the Internet-bank system has been operating in the Rysgal bank, and since it is in demand among the population, he proposed to introduce it in the Daikhanbank, Halkbank and Senagat banks. The President agreed. The official also spoke about the work of Vnesheconombank to "improve the international payment system" and the results of the international tender. TDH did not provide additional information on this topic.
Deputy Prime Minister Shahym Abdrakhmanov , who oversees the oil and gas industry , said that for the sale of gas to domestic consumers in a non-cash form and for managing data on gas fields and wells, the State Concern "Turkmengas" has created: "Settlement Center" and installed the program "Elektron ammar"; in "Turkmenneft" - the site and the electronic document management system "Netije", in the central office of the Turkmen Oil Refinery - the website and the electronic document management system "GOLDAW".
Deputy Prime Minister Charymyrat Purchekov , who is in charge of the construction, industrial and energy complex , said that websites and cybersecurity departments have been opened in subordinate institutions and in the mayor's office of Ashgabat. Utilities rendered to the population by the Ashgabat Khyakimlik have been transferred online.
Deputy Prime Minister for Trade Chary Gylydzhov announced the launch of websites and the introduction of an electronic document management system . According to him, online trade and goods delivery services are “expanding”, and foreign buyers can order carpets on the Turkmencarpet website.
Deputy Prime Minister for Science and Education, Health and Sports Sapardurdy Toyliyev said that portals have been created in higher and secondary schools, and educational institutions are regularly enriched with electronic manuals, textbooks, interactive and multimedia technologies.
In addition, the Academy of Sciences, the Research Institute and the Technology Center are united through a single internal network, and manuscripts, books and monographs are converted into electronic format. Medical institutions are connected to the Internet, and the corresponding equipment is installed in the Telemedicine system.
Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov reported on the opening of digital diplomacy and information security departments at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the creation of websites for all diplomatic missions of Turkmenistan abroad. In addition, since September 2020, TDH writes, consular services have been provided online.
After all the reports, Serdar Berdimuhamedov was dissatisfied with the government's work on digitalization, saying that work in the country is not being carried out at the proper level.
Mammetkhan Chakiev, who oversees the introduction of digital systems , received a reprimand .
The authorities have been engaged in the digitalization of Turkmenistan since 2019. However, this work mainly consists in creating websites of departments (which was confirmed by this meeting of the Cabinet). For example, on February 25, Security Council Secretary Charymyrat Amanov told then-President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov about the digital services provided by the State Migration Service. It turned out that the department launched a website where you can queue up in an electronic queue to receive a biometric passport. The Office of the Ombudsman mentioned the launch of the site four times in its report for 2021 .
Meanwhile, citizens regularly have problems accessing the Internet. Last week, residents of the Mary velayat were almost completely disconnected from the network. Whether this is due to technical failures or deliberate actions by the authorities to restrict access to the Internet remains unclear.
Source: Chronicles of Turkmenistan