A mission of the Regional Management of the FAO-GEF project «Integrated Natural Resource Management in Dry and Saline Areas of Central Asia and Türkiye» (CACILM-2) arrived in Turkmenistan. The visit program includes a meeting with national partners and the transfer of equipment purchased under the project, as well as a three-day seminar on amending the Forest Code of Turkmenistan.

On the 26th of February, the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan hosted a meeting of international experts with the leadership and leading specialists of the environmental departments of Turkmenistan. At the end of the meeting, a ceremony was held to hand over the computer equipment purchased by the project to the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan and GNSS equipment to the Land Resources Service of the Ministry of Agriculture of Turkmenistan.

On February the 27th to 29th, a seminar on amendments to the Forest Code of Turkmenistan will be held at the Archabil hotel in the capital. The purpose of the workshop is to facilitate discussions with relevant national departments on the development of national criteria and indicators (C&I) for sustainable forest management (SFM) and amendments to the Forest Code of Turkmenistan aimed at improving the legal framework for sustainable management and conservation of forests in the country. The workshop will also provide an opportunity for capacity building and knowledge sharing on best practices and lessons learned from other countries that have undergone similar processes on SFM C&I and forest law reform.

The workshop will include a session on the verification of national SFM C&I designed to improve forest monitoring and reporting, as well as strengthen the development or revision of forest legislation, forest policy or national forest programs. An important component of the seminar will be training on the development of amendments to the Forest Code based on the principles of clarity, consistency and compliance with international standards and obligations. Based on the results of the presentations and discussions, a number of recommendations and further actions to improve and implement the Forest Code will be formulated.

On the 1st of March, the seminar will continue with a visit to forest plantations around the cities of Arkadag and Ashgabat and a nursery for growing seedlings in Gokdepe to observe and study the practical application of the Forest Code.

It is expected that the seminar will contribute to improving understanding and awareness of stakeholders about amendments to the Forest Code, expanding their interaction and cooperation in improving the Forest Code.