Turkmenistan International Affairs - The Times Of Central Asia

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Kyrgyzstan Hosts Summit of Organization of Turkic States

On November 6, Bishkek hosted the 11th Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). Chaired by Kyrgyzstan's President Sadyr Japarov and themed “Empowering the Turkic World: Economic Integration, Sustainable Development, Digital Future, and Security for All,” the summit was attended by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and Viktor Orbán, the Prime Minister of Hungary (observer state of the OTS). At the summit, the OTS chairmanship passed from Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan. In his speech, Kazakhstan's Tokayev summarized the results of his country's chairmanship of the OTS. Tokayev noted that Kazakhstan's chairmanship of the Organization of Turkic States was held under the motto "TURKTIME!" with special attention paid to strengthening the unity of the Turkic world and expanding comprehensive cooperation. Tokayev said that over the past 10 years, economic ties between the OTS members have strengthened significantly, and their trade volume exceeded $45 billion in 2024. According to Tokayev, strengthening transport and logistics ties within the OTS is a priority task. “It is necessary to fully utilize the potential of the Middle Corridor, which is strategically important for the further economic development of the Turkic world. Therefore, it seems necessary to agree to ensure the sustainable development of cargo transportation along this route.” Addressing the summit as the new chairman of the OTS, Japarov emphasized that the Organization has the unique potential to achieve high goals, strengthen its position in the international arena, intensify mutually beneficial cooperation, and create favorable conditions for the prosperity of its people. According to Japarov, during its chairmanship of the OTS, Kyrgyzstan will make every effort to develop economic partnership, sustainable development, digital integration, and strengthening common security. To expand trade and economic cooperation, negotiations will be initiated on intergovernmental agreements in services, finance, the creation and support of common labor markets, digital and e-commerce, intellectual property, agriculture, technology, innovation, tourism, and education. Japarov supported signing the Agreement on Partnership in the Field of Digital Economy, which will facilitate digital trade between the Turkic states. Joint measures to combat the challenges associated with climate change and environmental pollution will be one key area of Kyrgyzstan's chairmanship. According to Japarov, over the past 70 years, the area of glaciers in Kyrgyzstan has decreased by 16%. These glaciers are a source of drinking water for Kyrgyzstan and the entire Central Asian region. “Considering that our region is among the most vulnerable to global warming, by 2100, we may lose more than half of the glaciers,” the Kyrgyz president warned, adding that “we will develop cooperation in the implementation of joint green projects in the field of renewable energy, forest restoration, the introduction of resource-saving and energy-efficient technologies, the protection of glaciers and biological species, as well as the fight against land degradation and desertification.” Addressing the summit, Turkey's Erdoğan said: “I wholeheartedly believe that the decisions we will make today to achieve the targets we...

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Ashgabat May Have a Metro System by 2035

Vladimir Petruk, managing director of Interbudmontazh Company, told the CIET-2024 international conference that a metro system may be built in Turkmenistan's capital Ashgabat by 2035. Petruk said that specialists from the Japanese company Sumitomo, the Japanese Subway Association, and the German consulting group K2 have studied Ashgabat's geological and seismic conditions. The study's results confirmed the possibility of building the subway using reinforced concrete structures. The Ashgabat metro plan calls for an environmentally friendly transportation solution. In the future, it could connect the capital with the “smart city” Arkadag and the settlements of Geokdepe and Anau. According to forecasts, construction could be completed by 2035. “Given the growing wealth and the increasing number of cars, the metro will become essential to solve the city's transportation problems,” Petruk emphasized, noting the successful experience of operating metros in seismically active regions. Consultations with the Ministry of Construction and Architecture of Turkmenistan are ongoing, and the UN mission plans to cooperate with the country to support the urban infrastructure development program. Turkmenistan currently does not have a metro. The idea of building a metro in Ashgabat has been discussed since 2008 when the city mayor's office attracted companies from St. Petersburg to the project. In 2014, then-President Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov instructed the Ukrainian construction association Interbudmontazh to consider the possibility of realizing this project. In 2020, the company presented the Ashgabat metro construction project developed jointly with Sumitomo and K2. However, specific dates for the start of construction and commissioning of the metro in Ashgabat have not yet been announced.

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Turkmen Business Prepares for WTO Integration

Ashgabat recently hosted a two-day seminar on Turkmenistan's prospects for joining the World Trade Organization. The event, organized by the Ministry of Finance and Economy and the International Trade Center (ITC), brought together representatives of the country's private sector and government agencies. ITC international experts Daria Karman, Alyson Hook, and Nurlan Kulbatyrov shared practical integration experience into the global trading system with the participants. Special attention was paid to Kazakhstan, whose path to the WTO can serve as an illustrative example for Turkmenistan. Among the key topics of discussion were the need to adapt legislation to international standards, reform trade policy, and modernize mechanisms for regulating foreign economic activity. For Turkmen entrepreneurs, accession to the WTO opens access to world markets and creates favorable conditions for increasing exports. However, this will require a significant increase in local enterprises' competitiveness and the introduction of modern production technologies. According to the event organizers, the active discussion of integration processes testifies to Turkmen business's serious attitude toward international cooperation. Such seminars are part of Turkmenistan's comprehensive preparation for accession to the WTO. In the future, this should create additional incentives for entrepreneurship and increase the country's export potential. Representatives of government agencies and the business community actively participated in the seminar, which confirmed Turkmenistan's interest in deepening integration processes and expanding international trade cooperation.

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IDB to Fund $156.3 Million for Cancer Hospitals in Turkmenistan

Turkmenportal reported that a Turkmenistan delegation visited Washington DC from October 22 to 26 to participate in the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, along with related events. During the visit, representatives of Turkmenistan's financial and banking sector engaged in bilateral discussions with foreign partners. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has approved $156.3 million in funding to build three specialized cancer treatment hospitals in Turkmenistan. These modern facilities will be located in Balkanabad, Turkmenabad, and Mari, with a combined capacity to serve over 11,750 patients. The agreement was signed in a meeting between IDB President Muhammad Al Jasser and Rahimberdi Jepbarov, Chairman of the State Bank for Foreign Economic Affairs of Turkmenistan. Meanwhile, on October 24, Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche, in partnership with Nobel Almaty Pharmaceutical Factory, launched the production of innovative drugs in Almaty, Kazakhstan. This initiative is part of an agreement between Roche, Kazakhstan’s SK-Pharmacy, Nobel, and the Kazakh Research Institute of Oncology and Radiology, supported by Kazakh Invest. Under this collaboration, Roche will locally produce three biotechnological drugs to treat HER2-positive breast cancer, a highly aggressive form affecting up to 20% of breast cancer patients in Kazakhstan.

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Turkmengaz Ends Gas Supply Contract with Gazprom Over Pricing Dispute

Turkmenistan's national gas company, Turkmengaz, has not extended its gas supply contract with Gazprom because the parties could not agree on a new fuel price. Turkmengaz Chairman Maksat Babayev explained: "On June 30, as outlined in the contract, we were set to review prices. If both sides agreed on the price, we could extend the contract. However, after negotiations, we couldn’t agree on the commercial terms. So, as per the contract, without an agreement, the contract was to end on June 30, which is what we proceeded with.” He shared this at a press conference following the “Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan – 2024” (OGT 2024) event. Babayev added that for Turkmengaz, the critical factor in starting, resuming, or ending supplies is the commercial aspect. “Contracts for purchase and sale are considered based on mutual benefit,” he explained. “Currently, demand from the north, west, and east is growing, and we are constantly in talks with various buyers and countries, so resuming supplies to Russia is certainly possible.” In 2019, Gazprom signed a five-year contract with Turkmengaz to buy natural gas through June 30, 2024. The agreement covers an annual supply volume of 5.5 billion cubic meters. Previously, Gazprom's head, Alexey Miller, announced that the company doubled the volume of gas supplies to Central Asia from January to August 2024. According to Miller, the republics' rapid economic and social development has opened meaningful new opportunities for Gazprom, which is currently at the highest possible level of gas supply to Uzbekistan.

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Uzbekistan Leads in Central Asia’s Military Strength Rankings

U.S. News recently published its list of the world’s strongest militaries, with Russia, the U.S., and Israel in the top three. The Times of Central Asia reviewed this rating in the Central Asian countries section. Uzbekistan ranks 19th globally in military strength, the highest in the region. However, U.S. News ranks the country 74th out of 78 in its “Best Countries” category, citing an economy still largely driven by cotton. Uzbekistan remains a major global player in cotton, as the fifth-largest exporter and seventh-largest producer worldwide. Kazakhstan, Central Asia’s largest economy, ranks 22nd for military strength and is noted for its vast reserves of fossil fuels, uranium, and other minerals. Much of Kazakhstan’s economic growth has been oil-driven, and the country ranks 83rd on the “Best Countries” list. U.S. News ranked countries based on cultural influence, entrepreneurship, heritage, openness to business, quality of life, and social purpose. In a separate ranking, the Global Firepower Military Index for 2024 lists Kazakhstan as Central Asia’s top military power, placing it at 58th worldwide. Uzbekistan has fallen by three places since last year’s rankings — the only country in the region not to show an improvement — and is now in the 65th position. In the bottom half of the table, Turkmenistan lies in 83rd place, while Kyrgyzstan is 100th. Global Firepower puts Tajikistan in 107th place, making it the region’s weakest army.