VZCZCXYZ0022
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAH #0909/01 2011050
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 201050Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3167

UNCLAS ASHGABAT 000909 
 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR ECA/A/S/A (ATTN: MATHILDE ANDRADE, COLLEEN FLEMING), 
SCA/PPD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP OEXC SCUL KPAO TX
SUBJECT:  TURKMENISTAN FY 2010 IVLP PROPOSAL 
 
¶I. (SBU) SUMMAQ  Post is pleased to submit its project nominations 
for the FY 2010 International Visitors Leadership Program, as 
selected by Mission's IVLP selection committee and approved by the 
Charge d'AffaiQ.  Post proposes seven (7) programs with 24 slots 
for FY 2010.  END SUMMARY. 
 
II. The list of approved projects in chronological order: 
 
¶1. Education, focus on adult education, community colleges four (4) 
slots, approximate date November 2009 
This project, designed for academic administrators, civic leaders, 
student advisors/counselors, and ministry officials involved in 
education issues, will examine the variety of programs and services 
offered by community colleges, universities, vocational schools, and 
other institutions geared to the needs of adult learners. 
Participants will examine the role of community colleges and adult 
education networks in meeting the needs of a diverse population 
seeking continuing education, language learning, skill development, 
or retraining.  Through school visits and meetings with curriculum 
designers, social scientists, and economists, participants will 
examine curriculum models that aim to serve the changing needs of a 
population facing an increasingly competitive global economy. 
 
¶2. Preservation of National Historical Sites - three (3) slots - 
December, 2009 
Turkmenistan is home to a host of World Heritage sites that are 
languishing from lack of attention and visitors.  This program would 
bring Turkmenistan's administrators of national historical sites to 
the US to meet with federal-level officials, such as those from the 
Department of the Interior, to discuss budgeting for preservation, 
followed by visits to several U.S. national historical sites to see 
how U.S. sites balance preservation and access.  Use of private 
contractors/vendors to provide services that make the visitors' 
experience more pleasant would also be an issue of discussion. This 
program should be designed for Turkmen representatives of the 
Ministry of Culture and cultural workers dealing with preservation 
of ancient historical sites. 
 
¶3. Traffic planning - three (3) slots - February 2009 
Ashgabat and other regional capitals are growing into urban centers. 
 However, growth without a plan leads to unmanageable chaos and isQtimately unsustainable.  Some negative Qsequences are traffic 
jams, pollution and lack of adequate utility service to support the 
growth.  This program would take national officials and local 
offQals/planners to the U.S. to meet with their counterparts, for 
example, in the Washington, DC area or other metropolitan areas such 
as Los Angeles and Kansas City to discuss rational, long-term growth 
plans, while also looking at how to facilitate the flow of people 
and traffic through the city via traffic light timing, one-way 
streets and the like. 
 
¶4. Public-Private partnerships or contracts in managing major public 
facilities, airports, and buildings, or services provided in 
National Parks - four(4) slots - March, 2010 
This program would inform Turkmenistan about U.S. practices in 
administering government-managed, long-term service contracts for 
publicly-owned facilities.  A broad overview of the benefits of 
public-private business relationship should be an integral part of 
the program -- perhaps with input from a university or business 
council - due to Turkmenistan's relative inexperience with such 
arrangements.  Other training might include working-level contract 
training, including the basics of public remuneration and 
"profitability" contract design, with the National Park Service, 
similar-sized city airport authority, stadiums or other public 
venues, for the provision of concessions, transportation, lodging 
and other services through private contractors. 
 
¶5. Small business development program - four (4) slots - April 2010 
This multi-regional project, designed for entrepreneurs, small 
business owners, government officials promoting economic 
development, and others involved in promoting small business 
development, will highlight the social, economic, and political 
factors that influence and encourage the development of private 
enterprise in the U.S.  The program will provide examples of small 
businesses in the U.S. and will explore the growth of business 
opportunities created by the Internet and the expansion of the 
global marketplace. This MRP would provide a template for Turkmen 
entrepreneurs to apply on a local market. 
 
¶6. Stock/commodities/merQtile exchange program - three (3) slots - 
May 2010 
The President has stated the goal several times of increasing the 
private sector's Qre of the economy to 70 percent by 2020, due to 
the SovietQperience and isolation, there is little capacity in the 
country to make this goal a reality.  As a result, Turkmenistan's 
State Commodities and Raw Materials Exchange displays the same 
commodity prices on television day after day.  However, young 
up-and-comers at the Exchange suggested this program themselves, 
indicating that the will is there to see how Western-style trading 
works.  This visit could also include a visit to the Mercantile 
Exchange in Chicago and visits with regulatory agencies in 
Washington, DC. 
 
¶7. Emergency medical services - three (3) slots - June 2010 
This project will enable Turkmen emergency medical personnel to 
learn about the procedures in place in U.S. hospitals and in use by 
emergency teams.  This program would be specified for emergency call 
teams, emergency room doctors, nurses and other personnel. 
Nominations would include representatives from the Ministry of 
Health and other health offices. 
 
III. Please contact Education Program Assistant Maysa Niyazova with 
questions. 
 
MILES