USAID/Turkmenistan Governance Support Program (GSP)

USAID’s objective in governance is to improve the relationship between civilians and state actors by directly linking those who are governed with those who are democratically elected to govern. USAID also works to support the rule of law by promoting legal and regulatory frameworks that improve order and security, legitimacy, checks and balances, and equal application and enforcement of the law. In both areas, USAID provides technical leadership through research, training, and dissemination of best practices.

The Government Support Program (GSP) in Turkmenistan is a cooperative agreement led by QED Group and funded by USAID which aims to strengthen accountability, effectiveness and transparency of governance in Turkmenistan. The activity is focused on three main areas of governance:

1. Improvement of public administration of Government of Turkmenistan (GOTX) institutions
2. Strengthening policy development and lawmaking processes
3. Creation of enabling environment for CSOs and strengthening democratic governance

Illustrative activities under GSP

• Providing GOTX officials and civil servants with the tools, resources, information, and skills required to advance and implement public administration improvements
• Legal comparative analysis of Turkmen governance structures, processes, policies, and laws
• Trainings, seminars, workshops, study tours for civil servants on international best practices, anticorruption and ethics
• Improve understanding of e-governance solutions through study tours and trainings
• Trainings/workshops on the role of civil society to create and strengthen networks between Turkmen CSOs and with CSOs throughout the Central Asia region
• Increase institutional and financial viability of CSOs including trainings on management and fundraising
• Coordination on implementation of new laws, development of legal database, legal materials, brochures, & mobile solutions
• Online system for surveying and reporting public service customer satisfaction issues

In April 2019, USAID extended the cooperative agreement with QED Group to April 2023. GSP is a follow-on to the USAID Turkmenistan Governance Strengthening Project, which QED implemented from September 2010 through March 2015.