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On December 19th, Brussels hosted the 22nd joint committee meeting between Turkmenistan and the European Union. The Turkmenistan delegation, led by the minister of finance and economy, included a deputy minister of education, along with representatives from State Concerns such as Turkmengas and Turkmenhowayollary (Turkmenistan Airlines). The EU delegation was represented by the deputy managing director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the European External Action Service (EEAS) and delegates from various European Commission directorates overseeing international partnerships, trade, energy, transport, climate change, environment, research, and innovation. Discussions revolved around Turkmenistan's macroeconomic status and its efforts toward global economic integration, notably focusing on its ambition for World Trade Organization (WTO) membership. The agenda encompassed energy and environmental concerns, including strategies for gas exports, initiatives targeting methane emission reduction, and the advancement of renewable energy sources, such as hydrogen. Both parties engaged in dialogue concerning collaboration in transport, education, youth policy, as well as research and innovation.
EBRD to Allocate €200 Million for Development of Youth Businesses in Central Asia The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has launched a program aimed at developing youth businesses in Central Asia and Mongolia, and will allocate $218 million over seven years to ensure access to financing and training for young entrepreneurs. The program is aimed at the development of micro, small and medium-sized businesses under the guidance of young people aged 18 to 35 years. Companies will receive financing through 20 partner financial institutions, whilst participants will also be able to receive trainings, access various events, and use consulting services. The investments is set to be complemented by a package of up to €30 million in grants and concessional co-financing. The EBRD notes that many young people in Central Asia have entrepreneurial skills, but do not have economic opportunities. According to the bank's estimates, only 10% of young people have the necessary education and work skills. "Solving this problem is important for Central Asia, where small and medium—sized enterprises account for almost half of total employment and almost 40% of regional GDP," the EBRD emphasized. The program is funded by the Government of Kazakhstan, the Small Business Foundation, and the European Union.
The fifteenth meeting in the format of the Turkmenistan-European Union Human Rights Dialogue will be held in Brussels on December 18th, followed by the 22nd meeting of the Turkmenistan-EU joint committee on the 19th, during which key aspects of bilateral relations, including trade and the economy will be discussed. The Turkmen delegation will also take part in the Transport Investment Forum, which is scheduled for January 29-30, 2024 in Brussels. The forum, organized by the European Commission, will bring together representatives of the public and private sector, and investors interested in improving sustainable transport links between the two regions. The event will be a follow-up to an earlier EC study on sustainable transport links between Europe and Central Asia, which was implemented by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and published on June 30th 2023. As a continuation of this dialogue, it is planned that a meeting of experts in the field of transport from government agencies and private transport and logistics companies be organized in the second quarter of next year. The proposal to hold this symposium in Ashgabat was announced at the 19th meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Central Asian countries and the European Union in Luxembourg on October 23rd in a joint communique. Reporting on these activities in a government meeting on Friday, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan submitted for consideration to President Serdar Berdimuhamedov a proposal to organize a meeting with relevant EU structures in the first quarter of 2024 in order to discuss partnership opportunities and exchange experience in the field of energy. It is also planned to hold the next meeting of the foreign ministers of the Central Asian countries and the European Union in Turkmenistan in 2024.
