"Thanks to the prompt measures taken by the government in the early stages to prevent development COVID-19 in Turkmenistan, the country has no recorded cases of the virus," said today in an exclusive interview with Trend news Agency, UN resident coordinator in Turkmenistan, Elena Panova.

According to her, the UN in Turkmenistan supports the government's commitment to invest in the health system.

"Today, the world is facing an unprecedented challenge. The pandemic caused by the spread of the COVID-19 virus has jeopardized the achievements of the world health system, " Panova said.

In this regard, the UN Permanent coordinator stated:

"We welcome the decision of the government of Turkmenistan to conduct a General medical examination of the population. This is what the world health organization also calls for-to ensure the continuity of health services, including immunization, where possible."

Elena Panova also noted that the government of Turkmenistan, together with UN organizations, has developed a draft national Plan for preparedness and response to coronavirus infection, the main goal of which is to prevent the spread of infection in the country. The plan was also presented to international development partners, including international financial institutions, who welcomed its development and expressed their readiness to support its implementation.

"I hope that the plan will be approved by the government of Turkmenistan and we will soon begin its joint implementation," E. Panova.

She also said that the government of Turkmenistan supported the initiative of the UN Mission to create a joint working group on the socio-economic impact of the pandemic and approved the composition of the Turkmen side. The purpose of the joint working group is to study the possible socio-economic impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable groups in the country, as well as to discuss and develop a joint action plan aimed at mitigating this impact.

On April 21, this year, the first meeting of the working group was held, following which an agreement was reached on cooperation between UN agencies and relevant ministries and departments in the development and implementation of a package of measures to mitigate the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable groups in Turkmenistan. The Joint working group will also involve a number of UN agencies that do not have offices in the country, such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the international labor organization and the food and agriculture organization of the United Nations.

"It was a productive meeting. We agreed that the joint implementation of measures to mitigate the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable groups of the population will allow us to implement the main principle of the 2030 Agenda – " leave no one behind!", Panova said.

The UN resident coordinator in Turkmenistan also said that some priority areas of cooperation have already been identified – strengthening and improving the health system, adapting fiscal policy, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, providing targeted social protection to vulnerable groups of the population and promoting the digitalization of the economy.

An agreement was also reached with the digital diplomacy Department of the Ministry of foreign Affairs to create a subgroup to promote digital solutions. As many experts in the world note today, digital solutions will become even more relevant after the pandemic. It is assumed that those sectors of the economy that are based on or include elements of digital solutions will recover and develop faster than other sectors.

Elena Panova recalled that on April 3, the UN General Assembly adopted the first resolution since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which calls for global solidarity in the fight against coronavirus infection.

"I am glad that Turkmenistan is also a co-sponsor of the resolution. Thus, the country has emphasized its active position in the fight against the pandemic by making a number of decisions to protect the health, safety and well – being of its people," the UN Resident coordinator in Turkmenistan said.