At present, programme work for digitization of all spheres of national economy and implementation of advanced developments to production are carried out in the country. The Head of the State noted that it is necessary to take necessary measures for more efficient use of the potential of national scientific institutes, which is very important for development of digital economy.
The Concept of development of digital economy until 2025, which was approved by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, is implemented since 2019 for further development of national economy by diversification and growth of electronic industry.
The document includes 7 sections, which reflect current situation of the system of information and communication technologies, goals and objectives of the Concept, ways and mechanisms of its implementation and expected outcomes.
It is planned to implement the Concept in three phases. The first will be implemented in 2019, the second in 2020 – 2023 and the third one in 2024 – 2025.
Technological Centre of the Academy of Sciences, founded for improvement of scientific and technical potential of the country, took active part in the development of the Concept. Issues of digitization were solved in the laboratory of information and communication technologies, which develops computer programmes and innovative methods of automation of production.
Improvement of fundamental basis of digital economy - the systems of internet provision, is among important points of the Concept. Taking into account that it serves as the key condition for development of the branches, it is necessary to hold under control all issues of increment of the level of involvement of the population, business circles and the state to this field, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov notes.
In modern realities, the progress of any country is provided at first by the level of development of science and education. In this case, the most comprehensive involvement of intellectual potential of society, implementation of advanced scientific achievements for intensive growth and bringing of the economy to new level, which is directly connected with use of high technologies and results of fundamental and applied studies, are the key factors.
In this context, the Concept of development of digital education in Turkmenistan, which is aimed at creation of informational educational environment and provision of this sphere with electronic resources of education at all stages, enrichment of intellectual potential of society, improvement of quality and methods of education, is very important in the work for digitization of national economy.
Today, our country has all conditions for modern education of the youth and training of high qualified specialists. According to the Concept, the programme of network provision of digital education has been prepared and relative portals have been developed by specialists, professors, tutors and students in high educational institutes. Owing to implementation of digital technologies, distant lectures and video conferences with the participation of foreign partners are regularly organized in universities.
Wide choice of internet services will stimulate the citizens to additional and uninterrupted education, improvement of professional skills with distant methods. It is obvious that introduction of digital education will allow improving human capital and attracting innovative resources to the economy and other spheres for prosperity of the society and progress of the country, the Head of the State notes.
Our country is an active supporter of attraction of innovations to all spheres of life activity including telecommunications and high-speed information technologies. Turkmenistan is open for all new in the world practice. Taking into account national interests and objectives of social and economic, spiritual and cultural development, it builds close relations with the states of the planet and cooperates with foreign institutes and competent organizations.
Seminar dedicated to digital economy in Ashgabat in November 2018, which was organized by the Academy of Sciences of the country and the UN Development Programme in Turkmenistan is one of the examples.
Specialists of the Ministries of Finances and Economy, Communication, Educational and the Central Bank, the State Statistic Committee, the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and other organizations took part in the training. As the experts, representatives of Skolkovo Moscow Management School presented the reviews of advanced world practices in this sphere.
Under Turkmenistan – UNDP cooperation, the Academy of Sciences of the country developed Digital Turkmenistan State programme, which main objective is to stimulate the development of information and communication technologies and improvement of the input of this sector to the GDP of the country and elimination of ‘digital difference’ in life of the population of cities, velayats and towns.
The Programme is to support the acceleration of the transit of national economy to innovative way, improvement of work occupancy in scientifically based branches, implementation of modern technologies to production, complete switch over to digital documentation and system of personal electronic identification.
Turkmenistan has significant capabilities for development of digital infrastructure using telemedicine, computer and telecommunication technologies by provision of additional electronic services for provision of distant consultancy and education. In this context, the practice of foreign specialists is to support rapid implementation of advanced technologies of digitization in the organizations of the country.
Turkmenistan is full member of the Regional Commonwealth in the field of communication (RCC). President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov highlights that globalization of marketing space and application of communication technologies are based on use of the information as the main strategic resource.
In this context, Turkmenistan improves the cooperation with the RCC members for beneficial partnership in the sphere of improvement of work of informational and communication systems in the country. it was brightly indicated by the Joint Session of the 53rd Session of the Council of the Administration Heads of the Regional Commonwealth in the field of communication in Ashgabat in October 2018 and 24th session of Coordination Council of the CIS members of informatization under the RCC where current subjects of digitization were discussed.
The State programme of import substitutive production, increment of export-oriented goods and establishment of electronic industry is successfully implemented under diversification of national economy.
Following the objectives set by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, credit establishments of the country carried out integrated work during last year. In the result, the year was marked by the development of infrastructure of electronic banking, growth of non-cash payment, intensification of crediting using online services as well as active implementation of internet and mobile banking, which can be used for non-cash payment both in the country and abroad making commodity – money relations easier and providing their security.
Owing to rapid solution of the objectives set by the Head of the State for integrated modernization and diversification of communication system and introduction of advanced equipment to this sphere, ramified telecommunication network making all conditions for the access to internet by any citizen successfully operates in Turkmenistan. The Head of the State highlights that availability of the world wide web will give an impulse to the development of national economy.
Opportunity to get any information from the internet will make positive effect on day-today life and work of Turkmenistan citizens. Sue of this information will support taking better decisions, deep understanding of what is going on in the world. in addition, control, operation and service processes, which significantly facilitate the work of people, will be automated at production facilities by the connection of equipment to the network.
The programmes for technical provision and formation of relevant infrastructure have been started. For example, in the next three years, the Ministry of Communication of Turkmenistan plans to implement major projects aimed at the formation of comprehensive communication system based on advanced technologies, increment of volume, quality and variety of communication services together with the provision of broadband internet in remote areas of the country.
Laying of fibre optic cables is planned in the capital and velayats for provision of high level of telecommunication services to consumers and increment of the data transfer speed. This project will allow significantly improving the exchange of information between the departments, to introduce new electronic services.
At present, data speed in Ashgabat is 20 Gbps in average. In future, it is planned to be increased up to 100 Gbps; in velayat centres, this indicators will be 40 Gbps, in etrap centres up to 10 Gbps and up to 4 Gbps between etrap centres and farming associations.
Taking into account growing requirements of the population, national operator Altyn Asyr starts complete and comprehensive provision of the population with the main types of cellular communication including 3G and 4G formats and 5G format in future. After the completion of the project, the country will be covered by 100 percent.
Globalization of marketing space and application of information technologies is based on the use of information as the main strategic resource, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov notes. Digital and computer systems of network infrastructure is an important factor of progress of the society and method to improve the efficiency of different branches of national economy.
In this regard, informational market, which operation will make positive impact on development of other branches and on macroeconomic processes in general, has to become the main sector of the economy of Turkmenistan.
Libraries are another sphere, which digitization is on top priority. Reading process has been significantly transformed with the time and development of new technologies. Nowadays, books are available in electronic format and in online mode when one can enter the library from computer or mobile phone and download electronic format of necessary book. Similar methods have to be implemented in Turkmenistan, the Head of the State pointed out.
Remaining traditional storage of books and centre of culture, the libraries have to meet the requirements of readers and actively contact with them including in virtual environment where the most part of day-to-day life, work, rest, communication and education of our people is being transferred these days, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov notes.
For example, 70,000 subscribers are registered in the State Library and around 400 readers, the most part of which are the students, visit it every day. Representatives of research and educational community of the country as well as specialists are among regular users.
Today, the libraries of the Ministry of Culture have unified electronic system based on advanced technologies and best world practice. methodological courses, seminars, contests helping to improve the efficiency of work using digital know-hows are held for the personnel of the libraries.
Turkmenistan is the country carefully hallowing rich historical traditions and at the same time, developing dynamic cultural environment. The state policy in this sphere is aimed at the improvement of spirituality of society, increment of its intellectual potential, protection and multiplication of cultural and moral values of the nation, the Head of the State notes, orienting the libraries toward active participation in innovative projects.
Being closely integrated to international economic, cultural and technology space, modern scientific knowledge is an important term for establishment of constructive friendly relations. According to the Programme of social and economic development of Turkmenistan in 2018 – 2024, the role of our country in global economy grows, innovative industrial facilities making different quality production, which is on high demand both in the country and in foreign market, are put into operation.
Taking into consideration growing role of internet provision, Turkmen information and communication technologies specialists have developed scientifically based strategy of using of internet resources, having taken the course toward innovative development.
