On Wednesday, 12 March, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov received European Union Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela.
As noted during the meeting, in recent years, Turkmenistan’s political and diplomatic relations with the European Union have become more active, with cooperation developing not only on a bilateral basis, but also within the Central Asia–European Union format.
Turkmenistan is implementing a number of projects with the European Union in the fields of science and education, ecology, energy, and the development of transport and transit corridors.
Given Turkmenistan’s advantageous geographical location, the expansion of transport and transit routes holds strategic importance. In this regard, it was noted that Turkmenistan is actively developing such promising transport corridors as North–South and East–West.
The President highlighted the importance of the International Seaport of Turkmenbashi. Its capabilities enable a significant reduction in both the route and transit time for large cargo flows, while also fostering favorable conditions for access to the Black Sea coast, Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, and the Asia-Pacific region.
He expressed strong confidence that the port will serve as a vital bridge for the development of trade and economic ties across Eurasia.
Concluding the meeting, the parties affirmed their confidence in the continued growth of Turkmenistan-EU mutually beneficial partnership and exchanged best wishes.
The President emphasized the special importance of the International Seaport of Turkmenbashi, the capabilities of which make it possible to significantly reduce the route and time of bulky cargo flows, as well as create favorable conditions for access to the Black Sea coast, Europe, the Middle East, South Asia and the Asia-Pacific region.
In this regard, he expressed confidence that the port would serve as a reliable bridge in the development of trade and economic ties between the countries of Eurasia.
At the end of the meeting, the parties expressed confidence in the further development of mutually beneficial partnership and exchanged best wishes.
Talks of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan with the European Commissioner for International Partnerships
On March 12, 2025, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov met with the European Commissioner for International Partnerships Josef Sikela.
During the meeting, the sides discussed a wide range of issues of cooperation between Turkmenistan and the European Union in political-diplomatic, trade-economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres.
In this context, the importance of the upcoming high-level contacts, which serve as the main factor in the development of partnership, in particular the first summit in the “Central Asia-EU” format, was emphasized. In this regard, the preparations to the Ministerial meeting “Central Asia – EU” in Ashgabat were also considered.
The sides discussed the possibilities of expanding the legal framework for cooperation, noted the effectiveness of joint mechanisms, including the Joint Committee “Turkmenistan-EU”, Inter-parliamentary Dialogue, Human Rights Dialogue and others.
Special attention was paid to the advancement of practical cooperation of socio-economic nature. The sides considered collaboration issues on the development of trade relations, transport connectivity, energy security, innovation and investment activities. In this regard, they exchanged views on the implementation of the EU “Global Gateway” initiative.
The sides reviewed existing and prospective specialized projects and programs, as well as the issues of involving EU expertise in the process of Turkmenistan’s accession to the World Trade Organization.
In addition, the diplomats discussed joint work in the field of maintaining environmental safety, reducing methane emissions and renewable energy sources. Opportunities for further development of cooperation in the field of education and science were also discussed.
EU Commissioner Jozef Síkela strengthens Global Gateway partnership with Turkmenistan
European Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela has concluded a strategic visit to Turkmenistan, reinforcing the EU’s commitment to expanding cooperation under the Global Gateway strategy. The visit focussed on the EU’s role in strengthening Turkmenistan’s integration into regional and global economic networks, particularly in transport connectivity, renewable energy, and trade facilitation.
As a key element of Global Gateway, the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor was one of the main topics in discussions with President Serdar Berdimuhamedow, Deputy Chairs of the Cabinet of Ministers, and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov. Commissioner Síkela reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to support Turkmenistan’s pivotal role in this strategic corridor, which enhances connectivity between Central Asia and Europe.
He also visited the Turkmenbashi Port, a vital trade hub, where he met with the Director General of the Agency for Transport and Communications under the Cabinet of Ministers, Mammethan Chakyev. He reaffirmed the EU’s interest in supporting infrastructure modernisation and alignment of standards and legislation.
Commissioner Síkela said: “We see Turkmenistan as a key partner for building stronger connections between Europe and Central Asia. By working together under the Global Gateway, especially through the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, we are creating faster, more secure trade routes that will open new opportunities for businesses, attract investments, and create jobs. Our joint efforts aim to cut trade times between Europe and Asia to only 15 days, while helping Turkmenistan become an important hub for commerce between Asia and Europe.”
Energy and climate cooperation were major pillars of the visit, as part of the Global Gateway’s focus on sustainable investments. Two key initiatives were launched under the EU-Turkmenistan bilateral cooperation facility:
- A EUR 6 million project, implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC), to support Turkmenistan’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and foster economic modernization.
- A EUR 4.5 million initiative, implemented by GIZ, aimed at advancing renewable energy development, methane emissions reduction, and energy efficiency improvements.
Commissioner Síkela welcomed Turkmenistan’s accession to the Global Methane Pledge, stressing the importance of emissions reduction and sustainable energy solutions for fostering a greener economy.
The EU’s technical and financial assistance will further support Turkmenistan to align with international trade and environmental standards.
The Global Gateway strategy represents the EU’s commitment to bridging global investment gaps by fostering sustainable connectivity in digital, energy, and transport sectors while strengthening education and research systems. The initiative aims to mobilise €300 billion in public and private investments from 2021 to 2027, driving sustainable growth and resilient partnerships worldwide. ///nCa, 13 March 2025 (in cooperation with the EU Delegation to Turkmenistan, MFA Turkmenistan)