OSCE course in Turkmenistan addresses communication through online resources of state institutions

ASHGABAT, 9 September 2016 – Some 25 content managers and IT specialists from Turkmenistan’s Mejlis (Parliament), law-enforcement bodies, key ministries, media and financial institutions discussed new opportunities for communication through websites of state institutions at an OSCE-organized course that concluded today in Ashgabat.

The three-day course addressed the principles of communication in government and online resources as instruments of internal and external communication. International experts from Ukraine and the United Kingdom presented the structure of government portals and websites of state institutions and provided an overview of multimedia and digital instruments of effective communication.

“The Law on the legal regulation of Internet development and Internet services requires state institutions to establish official websites providing information about their operations and to respond to online inquiries,” said Natalya Drozd, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. “While online resources are the most accessible and efficient means of communication between state institutions and citizens, it is very important to constantly modernize and improve these channels.”

The participants of the course exchanged views on how the communication strategy of an institution may affect the content of its website and what an online communication strategy should include. They also participated in practical exercises, working in groups to develop a communication strategy of a state institution, and reviewed instruments and rules of website management and administration.

Ambassador Drozd underlined that the training course was a successful continuation of the OSCE Centre’s activities aimed at supporting the efforts of Turkmenistan’s government institutions to develop their online resources.  “The Centre remains committed to co-operation in this area,” she concluded.