Ashgabat, Turkmenistan – on 25-26 September, the Delegation of the European Union to Turkmenistan and the EU funded Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA 10) held a two-day training on project management for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Turkmenistan.

The training aimed at enhancing the project management skills of local CSOs, focusing on strengthening their capacities in project planning, development, fundraising, budgeting, evaluation and monitoring, and reporting mechanisms.

A key priority for the Delegation of the European Union to Turkmenistan is supporting local CSOs, as they play an essential role in democratic development of the country, through community engagement, including in border regions. Thanks to this training, civil society organisations improved their practical skills and acquired new competences that will allow them to refine current projects, expand the scope of their activities and develop new initiatives in order to increase their chances of obtaining funding from the European Union and other international donors.

The training was conducted by experts from the EU funded BOMCA 10 Programme, with active participation of representatives of the EU Delegation and the programme’s implementation team.

In her opening remarks, H.E. Ambassador Beata Pęksa highlighted, “The European Union remains committed to supporting civil society organisations in their essential role of protecting democracies and fostering a stronger, more inclusive society. We are dedicated to continuing dialogue and cooperation, supporting your efforts through EU funding programmes and policy initiatives.”

Speaking about the training outcomes, Merdan Arazmedov, a specialist of the Society for Nature Conservation of Turkmenistan, highlighted: “The training was extremely helpful for us as an organisation. We enhanced our project management capabilities and learned more about fundraising and reporting that will help us mobilise more resources for the subsequent projects. There’s no doubt that the knowledge that we have gained will enable us to develop and make an even greater impact in the sphere of nature conservation.”

The EU Delegation and BOMCA 10 remain committed to providing ongoing support for the development of civil society in Turkmenistan.