[{"bbox": [83, 105, 1146, 186], "category": "Text", "text": "fast assistance and implementation of technical assistance, studies and peer to peer exchanges of experiences where needed. At the same time, it will deliver results and enable advocacy on some of the fundamental interests and values of the EU, namely human rights and gender equality."}, {"bbox": [83, 197, 530, 226], "category": "Text", "text": "The Cooperation Facility will cover two sectors:"}, {"bbox": [122, 237, 311, 263], "category": "List-item", "text": "1) Green Economy"}, {"bbox": [122, 264, 1146, 317], "category": "List-item", "text": "2) Improving the business climate (with a focus on agriculture/rural development and support to trade development)"}, {"bbox": [83, 328, 1146, 490], "category": "Text", "text": "The Action is aligned with the EU's policy first principle, the commitment to the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, the Paris Agreement, the new European Consensus on development, the external dimension of the European Green Deal, as well as other main priorities of the European Union. **It will contribute in particular to SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals and to the SDGs 1 (no poverty), 5 (gender equality), 7 (renewable energy), 12 (sustainable production and consumption), 8 (decent work and economic growth) and 13 (climate action). The Action is furthermore aligned with the priorities of Turkmenistan's National Development Plan 2019-2025.**"}, {"bbox": [83, 499, 1146, 582], "category": "Text", "text": "The Cooperation Facility will allow for an **enhanced coordinated approach**, promoting synergies with other EU policies. The Action complements ongoing regional programmes as well as potential regional Team Europe Initiatives on Digital Connectivity and on Water, Energy and Climate Change."}, {"bbox": [83, 591, 1146, 673], "category": "Text", "text": "It is expected that the Action will be **complemented by additional funds from thematic and regional programmes** and blending facilities, in order to ensure the EU's credibility as a dialogue partner for Turkmenistan and other development partners."}, {"bbox": [72, 713, 302, 746], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2. RATIONALE"}, {"bbox": [219, 775, 352, 803], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### 2.1. Context"}, {"bbox": [83, 819, 1146, 926], "category": "Text", "text": "Turkmenistan is governed by one of the most secretive, closed and authoritarian regimes in the world, characterised by systematic violations of basic civil rights and freedoms. The Constitution formally recognises the division of powers between the legislative, executive and judiciary, and guarantees fundamental freedoms, but there is no real implementation of these provisions in practice."}, {"bbox": [83, 937, 1146, 1071], "category": "Text", "text": "Turkmenistan possesses the world's fourth largest reserves of natural gas and its economy is highly dependent on the export of hydrocarbons to a narrow client base, in particular to China, which absorbs some 69% of its exports. With the fall in global energy prices alongside competition from its neighbours for access to gas exports, the country has experienced a steep slowdown in GDP growth since 2015, further exacerbated by the global drop in demand associated with the COVID-19 pandemic."}, {"bbox": [83, 1082, 1146, 1163], "category": "Text", "text": "Negotiations between Turkmenistan and Russia intensified in the last two years and the ratification, in early 2021, of the Russia-Turkmenistan agreement on security cooperation is an indication of Russia's increasing return to a stronger role in the region."}, {"bbox": [83, 1174, 1146, 1336], "category": "Text", "text": "Despite the challenges of engaging with the Government of Turkmenistan, there is a need to build cooperation and partnership with the country. At the regional level, the EU Strategy on Central Asia of 2019² aims to support resilience and prosperity through an approach that enhances integration and cooperation between all the countries of the region and supports connectivity of the region as a whole with the EU. Turkmenistan also shares a long border with Afghanistan and therefore has a key role to play within the context of Central Asia's support for peace and stability in Afghanistan."}, {"bbox": [83, 1347, 1146, 1534], "category": "Text", "text": "In line with the EU Strategy on Central Asia, the EU will promote its long-term interests in supporting Turkmenistan's re-engagement with the outside world, and its more sustainable, inclusive and democratic development, with special focus on vulnerable groups, to leave no one behind. The guiding principles of the EU intervention will be: (1) 'build back better' with a view to recover from the crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and address poverty and inequalities by improving the living conditions of the population, with a focus on people living in vulnerable situations. A more equal and inclusive social and economic environment will be also ensured, while supporting Turkmenistan's commitment to the Paris Agreement; (2) 'do no harm', in particular in relation to support for the"}, {"bbox": [72, 1612, 1157, 1662], "category": "Footnote", "text": "² JOINT COMMUNICATION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL The EU and Central Asia: New Opportunities for a Stronger Partnership - JOIN/2019/9 final of 15.5.2019"}, {"bbox": [1041, 1662, 1157, 1688], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 4 of 18"}]