2005 April 17    CIPA-EN celebrates success in Turkmenistan

9 additional candidates from Turkmenistan have been awarded the Certified Accounting Practitioner (CAP) qualification pursuant to the last round of examinations; as well, selected CAPs were nominated and awarded Accountant of the Year and Best Accounting Trainer of the Year certificates within CIPA Awards Ceremony as hosted by the Union of Accountants of Turkmenistan in Ashgabat.

On April 21, 2005 the public Union of Accountants of Turkmenistan, in partnership with project EDP, hosted a dual event to award 9 local professional accountants with recently designated CAP status, as well as to award local Certified Accounting Practitioners who had excelled as local accountants and trainers in association with EDP's accounting program CIPA-EN. Awarding of certificates to these nine new CAPs bring the CAP base in Turkmenistan to 47 in total.

For those unfamiliar with the CIPA-EN program as is implemented throughout Central Asia, Russia, Moldova and Ukraine, this USAID funded accounting initiative is the only Russian-language based accounting program based on international accounting standards implemented on such a global scale. Having certified over 3,000 CAPs to date, CIPA-EN undoubtedly serves as the program responsible for IAS introduction and integration into the regional and former Soviet economies.

Participating at the event were USAID Country Representative Ashley Moretz, EDP Country Director Kyle Gunther, Chairman of the Union of Accountant of Turkmenistan Elena Senyukova., and director of local enterprise SYSCON George Jacob, financial sponsor for the event. Ms. Senyukova opened the ceremony, highlighting the importance of the CIPA program and congratulating the newly certified CAPs on their hard work and determination in achieving such status in the program. Deputy Chairman of the Union Inna Sevyan presented a brief history on the establishment of the Union and its primary objectives and plans for the coming future.

Following this, USAID Country Representative Ashley Moretz credited international accounting standards and the CIPA program in assisting to increase transparent accounting in the development of a free market economy. He as well congratulated the new CAPs, Best Accountant and Best Accounting Trainer of the Year in their hard work to receive these recognitions.

Trainer of the Year
First Place: Gulsoltan Seisova
Runner-up: Jeren Rejepova

Best Accountant of the Year
First Place: Jennet Kurbandurdyeva
Runner-up: Margarita Matevosayantz

Project EDP Country Director Kyle Gunther as well praised the work of those nominated and selected within the two categories of awards as well as congratulated the newly certified CAPs with the CIPA-EN program. Highlighting results of the CIPA program in Turkmenistan since 2000, Mr. Gunther detailed the considerable progress and momentum that the CIPA-EN program had experienced within the public and private sectors since inception.

Newly certified CAP Alikper Aliev expressed thanks to USAID/EDP for support of this program, as well as all accounting trainers for their hard work in implementing the CIPA-EN program and examination network. He indicated the importance of newly gained knowledge in his and other CAPs' current careers in Turkmenistan. Project EDP, USAID, and the local Union of Accountants are proud of the accomplishments made to date within the CIPA-EN program in Turkmenistan. It is expected that momentum with the program will continue to increase, and that within the next three months EDP will claim over 60 CAPs in country.