As Serdar Berdimuhamedov approaches his third year in office, his administration continues to face a growing list of pressing domestic challenges. Despite expectations for reforms, his presidency has been marked by opacity and absence of engagement with the public, independent media and civil society.
Below, we assess areas where his government has failed to act and the limited progress made, since he took office on March 19, 2022. To find more information about the developments in 2022-2024, please visit our website.
What is your list of issues and areas of life that President Serdar Berdimuhamedov has failed to act on? Where has he made progress?
Limited Positive Developments
- The IMF conducted a mission to Turkmenistan, offering recommendations on unifying the country’s dual exchange rates, but implementation remains absent.
- The government published complete results of the 2022 population and housing census in December 2024 but without announcing it in the media. The absence of 2012 census data make it impossible to compare results and observe trends overtime.
- The government engaged with ILO to combat forced labor in cotton harvesting though no tangible improvements were observed in the 2023-2024 harvest.
KEY STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES REMAIN UNADDRESSED
Corruption
- Turkmenistan ranks among the top 15 most corrupt countries globally, scoring 17 out of 100 on the Corruption Perception Index. From 2022 to 2024 the country’s score dropped indicating worsening governance. “Authoritarian control over state institutions by Turkmen ruling elites has firmly taken root, with corruption being used to sustain power and evade accountability.”
Economy
- The parallel exchange rate system remains unchanged, limiting and restricting financial services and international transfers.
- Median daily income in Turkmenistan is just $2.40, compared to $10.42 in Kazakhstan.
- A detailed state budget is not publicly available and it does not include revenue from the sales of natural gas and oil.
- The government does not track or publish poverty data, inflation rates, or unemployment figures.
- International skepticism over economic data persists: the World Bank has excluded Turkmenistan from reports since 2018, and EBRD ranks its market economy transition as the worst in Central Asia.
- In 2025, the EBRD ranked Turkmenistan’s economy as the least “well-governed” in Central Asia, highlighting parallel exchange rates as a key driver of brain drain and emigration.
- No meaningful, measurable progress on WTO accession beyond workshops and meetings.
Healthcare
- No public health data and epidemiological reports have been shared with the public including on COVID-19, TB, and HIV/AIDS.
Women and Girls
- Women and girls lack protection against domestic and gender-based violence.
- The government’s policy created obstacles to access legal and safe abortion and to get a divorce.
- The list of countries that Turkmen citizens can travel visa free, has lost one major destination, Türkiýe in September 2022.
- Turkmenistan no longer renews or replaces passports for citizens abroad through its embassies, leaving many migrants unable to comply with host country immigration laws. This policy restricts their basic rights, including freedom of movement, healthcare, employment, education, and social protection.
Internet and Access to Information
- The aggressive state-led Internet censorship and blockade continues, violating citizens’ social, economic and cultural rights.
- In December 2022, the government proposed a “sovereign internet”, which will be partitioned and will not be connected to the global web.
- Turkmenistan is the worst performer in Europe and Central Asia, falling behind Afghanistan in digitalization in the public sector.
- The state-controlled media remained silent on economic issues, social problems, or natural disasters during 2022-2024.
- During her June 2023 visit to Turkmenistan, OSCE Representative Teresa Ribeiro highlighted restrictions on media freedom and access to information, urging authorities to uphold OSCE commitments. No follow-up occurred from either side.
Education
- Education sector continues to face serious challenges. Widespread corruption in university entrance exams, gender disparities, and poor educational quality persist.
- University students face forced participation in mass gatherings, while studying abroad remains difficult due to banking restrictions and the byzantine rules and procedures for recognition of foreign diplomas.
Housing
- Despite Berdimuhamedov’s 2022 pledge on “Providing every family with a modern house or apartment will be one of my main concerns,” no national plan or policies have been published.
- The top two complaints in the Ombudsperson’s 2023 report are – access to housing and obtaining legal residency (propiska).
- Skyrocketing housing and rent prices exceed average wages, making relocation to Ashgabat nearly impossible for many citizens.
Agriculture
- No agricultural reforms have been proposed, despite climate change threats.
- State quotas on cotton and wheat production remain unchanged, perpetuating forced labor of public sector employees and low farmer wages.
Civil society
- No new nonprofit organizations have been registered, limiting public’ access to social services and civic initiatives.
- The government provides no SDG-related data on civil society development (goals 16, 17).
- Turkmenistan consistently ranks among the lowest globally for political and societal freedoms indicating civil society’s overall poor health.
Environment
- Turkmenistan joined the Global Methane Pledge, but no national policies or emissions data have been released.
Three years into Serdar Berdimuhamedov’s presidency, Turkmenistan remains plagued by corruption, economic mismanagement, lack of transparency, and severe restrictions on civil liberties. While minor engagements with international institutions have taken place, tangible reforms remain elusive. The government’s continued and persistent disregard for public consultation, independent media, and global standards underscores its resistance to meaningful change.
Progres.online is an online analytical journal that promotes nuanced understanding of the societal trends in Turkmenistan by providing quality research and policy analysis.
For a deeper dive into Berdimuhamedov’s tenure, visit our previous reports:
- First 100 Days: What Needs to Be Done
- First 100 Days: Did He Deliver on His Promises?
- First Year: Is There Progress?
- First Two Years: What Did He Accomplish?
Photo: Watan Habarlary
