During a Tokyo visit, Turkmenistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov met with Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan Takeshi Saito on 22 January 2024.
The meeting focused on bolstering bilateral cooperation in the crucial areas of economics and energy.
Discussions yielded two significant agreements:
- Intergovernmental Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Energy Transition: According top this landmark MoU, Japan and Turkmenistan will collaborate to achieve a realistic energy transition using all available energy sources, technologies and options such as energy conservation, renewable energy, hydrogen, ammonia, carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS)/carbon recycling technologies, methane leak countermeasures, and high efficient power generation technologies.
The agreement was signed between the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan to promote and strengthen energy cooperation.
With this purpose, the sides will support the development of a roadmap toward carbon neutrality.
The MoU consolidates the Memorandum of Understanding (Roadmap) signed in 2018 and renewed in 2019 between Japan and Turkmenistan on cooperation in the field of infrastructure.
- MoU between Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Itochu Corporation, and State Concern “Turkmenhimiya”: This agreement focuses on concrete projects, including GTG plant projects and plant for producing fertilizers from natural gas.
***
At the meeting, held in the context of the implementation of the agreements of the Central Asia + Japan dialogue, the parties exchanged views on bilateral cooperation in the economic and energy fields, and also confirmed their desire to further strengthen relations within the framework of the Central Asia + Japan dialogue and the summit, which is expected to take place this year. ///nCa, 23 January 2024
MFA Turkmenistan reports:
Meeting at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan
On January 22, 2024, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov met with the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan Ken Saito, during which the parties expressed their focus on strengthening trade and economic ties between Turkmenistan and Japan. At the same time, the importance of long-term development of the partnership was emphasized, taking into account the presence of political will, broad economic potential and mutual understanding.
The successful joint implementation of various projects was noted, including the construction of chemical plants, gas turbine power plants, as well as the supply of equipment and vehicles. In light of this success, the parties expressed their readiness to seek new opportunities for cooperation, especially in the field of energy transition, including the production and transportation of hydrogen.
Particular attention was paid to the holding of the next Ministerial dialogue on the energy economy within the framework of the “CA+Japan” Dialogue, the preparation of a Roadmap in the field of decarbonization, the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM), the introduction of an e-commerce system to improve trade relations, and joint work on technologies for the development and transportation of hydrogen. These initiatives are aimed at deepening cooperation between Turkmenistan and Japan in such promising sectors as economy, commerce, industry, energy and others.
At the end of the meeting, the parties signed the following documents aimed at concretizing and developing the identified initiatives and projects:
– Memorandum of cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan on the implementation of energy transitions;
– Memorandum of Understanding for the design and full construction of the Second Complex on the basis of the existing factory for the production of gasoline from gas in Ahal velayat;
– Memorandum of Understanding on the implementation of Technical Services and Provision of the “Marykarbamid” Factory to bring it to its design capacity;
– Memorandum of Understanding on Framework Agreements for the Provision and Maintenance of a Factory for the Production of gasoline from gas in Ahal velayat. ///MFA Turkmenistan, 23 January 2024