The EU-Turkmenistan Business Forum, “New Horizons for Connectivity, Investment and Sustainable Growth,” took place on 26 March in Ashgabat. Bringing together more than 200 participants, the Forum convened for the first time high-level policymakers, business leaders from Turkmenistan and the European Union, as well as representatives of international financial institutions and international organisations, to explore new opportunities for trade, investment, and sustainable cooperation, the Delegation of the European Union to Turkmenistan reported.
The Forum provided a platform to advance and deepen dialogue on trade, investment and sustainable economic cooperation, supporting the objectives of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy.
The program combined high-level exchanges with focused technical discussions across three thematic sessions: business climate and investment conditions; transport and trade connectivity; and green transition, including renewable energy and methane emissions reduction.
The Forum enabled targeted discussions between public and private stakeholders on investment opportunities, regulatory cooperation and trade facilitation, contributing to enhanced economic ties between the European Union and Turkmenistan. Representatives of over 90 European and Turkmen companies participated in the Forum, representing diverse sectors, including logistics and transportation, energy, construction, trade, and IT. On the sidelines of the Forum, ten Turkmen companies from the agribusiness and textile sectors, supported under the EU-funded project “Turkmenistan: Enhancing Trade Resilience and Integration” implemented by ITC, showcased their products and engaged with international partners.
Dedicated networking segments enabled direct engagement through Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Government (B2G) meetings, supporting the development of new partnerships and potential investment initiatives.
“Looking ahead, we see clear priorities for our cooperation with Turkmenistan in the framework of the EU Global Gateway initiative. These include further integration into the global trading system, improvement of the business and investment environment, and the development of efficient and reliable connectivity links between Central Asia and Europe,” said EU Ambassador to Turkmenistan Beata Peksa.
