ASHGABAT (TCA) — Promoting foreign trade activity and raising awareness of the opportunities and challenges associated with exports was the goal of a workshop in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, organised by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) with EU donor funding and in partnership with the EU Project “Support for Further Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in Turkmenistan – Phase III”, the EBRD said on June 28.
The three-day event under the theme “Export Promotion for SMEs – Ready to Export” brought together local private small businesses with representatives of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan.
External trade is one of the key factors contributing to the economic growth of the country. Thus, new government programmes on export promotion and import substitution have been adopted in Turkmenistan in recent years as part of major structural reforms. To complement the country’s existing export promotion programmes, the EBRD offered a course tailored to Turkmenistan’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Numerous working groups provided a platform for discussions about adequate export strategies and approaches to foreign markets by Turkmen SMEs. Later this year the most successful SMEs will be able to benefit from mentoring sessions funded by the EBRD and the European Union.
The European Union supports export promotion in Turkmenistan through the EBRD’s Advice for Small Businesses and the EU project “Support for Further Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development in Turkmenistan – SARD III”. This project aims to encourage the production of agricultural and food products and offers marketing support to promote Turkmen products on international markets.
Since the start of its operations in Turkmenistan the EBRD has invested over €250 million through 65 projects in a wide range of sectors and enabled more than 200 SMEs to access business advice.
