On 14 March 2024, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov met with EBRD’s Vice President for Policy and Partnerships, Mark Bowman.
The key topics of the discussion were the prospects for cooperation in the field of energy, green energy, transport, and agriculture.
The energy sector was named as a new promising area of cooperation. The commitment of Turkmenistan, which has rich natural resources, to cooperation in this area through diversification was emphasized.
In addition, Turkmenistan is taking consistent steps to introduce environmentally friendly technologies into the industry and develop “green” energy. This provides ample opportunities for the EBRD to participate in projects and initiatives in the field of sustainable energy implemented in Turkmenistan.
Transport emerged as another key area for collaboration. Turkmenistan prioritizes interconnectedness across all transport modes. Work is underway to create multi–vector North–South and East-West transport corridors of regional and international importance.
The potential for increased capacity at the Turkmenbashi International Seaport, given intensifying Caspian Sea communication, was also highlighted. President Berdimuhamedov expressed Turkmenistan’s openness to EBRD proposals for transport and transit corridor projects.
During the meeting, the issue of cooperation in the field of agriculture was also raised. Taking into account efforts to introduce water-saving technologies, Turkmenistan supports cooperation with the EBRD on the construction of irrigation facilities and the use of high-tech specialized equipment.
The discussion also covered fostering collaboration between banks and Turkmenistan’s private sector with the EBRD, with a focus on expanding lending to small and medium-sized businesses and providing consulting services in this area.
At the end of the meeting, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and EBRD Vice President Mark Bowman expressed confidence in the further continuation of a constructive bilateral partnership. ///nCa, 15 March 2024