FMs of Turkmenistan and France inked cooperation program for 2024-2026
Deputy Prime Minister, foreign minister of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov met with Catherine Colonna, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France on Tuesday, 5 September 2023, in Paris.
According to the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, the Ministers welcomed the positive dynamics of the bilateral relationship, driven both by a strengthening of political exchanges and by important prospects for the development of bilateral relations, especially in economic sphere with a focus on the environment, energy and infrastructure sectors.
They agreed to continue the exchanges with a specific focus on issues of common interest related to the reduction of methane emissions and the management of water resources.
The meeting also discussed the main regional and international crises.
Catherine Colonna stressed the importance of the stability of Central Asia and expressed her appreciation for Turkmenistan’s commitment in support of an international order based on law and respect for the Charter of the United Nations.
At the end of their meeting, the ministers signed cooperation program between ministries of foreign affairs for the period 2024-2026 and a Memorandum on cooperation in the field of education.
Along with this, during the visit of the Turkmen delegation to France the following documents were signed:
- Declaration of friendly agreement on twinning between the cities of Arkadag and Maisons-Laffite;
- Cooperation agreement between the State bank for foreign economic affairs of Turkmenistan and the Union de Banques Arabes et Françaises – U.B.A.F.
Turkmenistan and UNESCO Discuss Ways to Expand Cooperation
On September 5, 2023, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov and the Deputy Director-General of UNESCO Xing Qu held negotiations, during which they discussed current issues of interaction between Turkmenistan and UNESCO, and also exchanged views on the upcoming cooperation agenda.
It was stated that over the years of effective cooperation, the sides have implemented joint activities aimed at popularizing the rich spiritual heritage of the Turkmen people, and actively interacted in the fields of education, science, ecology and nature conservation.
The parties outlined plans to hold a number of joint events on the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s accession to UNESCO, as well as the celebration of the 300th anniversary of Magtymguly Fragi.
The two agreements, the 2021-2023 Memorandum of Cooperation between the Government of Turkmenistan and UNESCO and the 2015 Framework Agreement on the Creation of a Trust Fund, were also highlighted.
Expressing their commitment to further expand interaction between Turkmenistan and UNESCO, the parties emphasized that the development of scientific and educational partnership, the continuation of activities to popularize national cultural heritage are key mechanisms of international cultural and humanitarian cooperation.
Meeting with Secretary General of BIE
On 5 September 2023, on the sidelines of the official visit to Paris, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov met with the Secretary General of the International Bureau of Expositions (BIE) Dimitri Kerkentzes.
During the meeting, the Turkmen side noted the integrated approach used in Turkmenistan in the development of priority areas, including in the field of exhibition activities. In this context, the head of BIE was informed about the plans for the implementation of the Concept for the development of international exhibition activities of Turkmenistan for 2024-2025, which was approved by the President of Turkmenistan in August 2023.
The parties stressed the importance of exhibition activities in the development of trade and foreign economic relations, as well as strengthening the economic potential of the country and exchanged views on the further development of cooperation between Turkmenistan and the BIE.
It was highlighted that our country is currently preparing for the participation of the Turkmen side in the International Exhibition “Expo-2023 Doha” in Qatar in 2024, as well as in the World Exhibition “Expo-2025 Osaka” in Japan in 2025.
The BIE Secretary General highly appreciated the relations between Turkmenistan and the International Bureau of Expositions, and also expressed readiness to further expand mutually beneficial cooperation in international exhibition activities.
Bilateral meetings
Dozens of business meetings between representatives of the Turkmen delegation and French companies were held in Paris as part of the official visit of the delegation of Turkmenistan on 4-5 September. They included:
- negotiations with representatives of the “France-Turkmenistan” Chamber of Commerce
- the “French Healthcare Association”,
- financial institutions “Coface”, “UBAF” Union de Banques Arabes et Françaises, “Société Générale CIB” and “Credit Agricole”,
- “IB2C France” federation,
- Companies “CIFAL International Services”, “Thales”, “Thales Alenia Spaсe”, “Airbus”, “TOTALENERGIES”, “MBDA”, “Bouygues Groupe”, “VINCI Construction Grands Projets”, “BAUDIN CHATEAUNEUF”, “CARPI Tech”, “Rothschild & Co”
///nCa, 7 September 2023 [Photo credit – MFA Turkmenistan]
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