On the final day of political consultations between Turkmenistan and the United States, which took place in the format of a videoconference, the delegations of the two countries reviewed the current level of trade and economic cooperation and exchanged views on expanding partnership in areas of mutual interest, the Turkmen Foreign Ministry said.

From the Turkmen side, the meeting was attended by the heads and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, as well as the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan. The US delegation was led by Den Nigria, a senior State Department official.

Speaking at the meeting, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov declared in favour of the further development of partnership in investment and innovation activities, in the field of modernization of production and mutual trade. The success of the long-term work of American companies in the Turkmen market and the effectiveness of the Turkmen-American Business Council were highlighted.

The meeting participants heard presentations from the parties on the main vectors of interaction. The practical steps of Turkmenistan on the path to improving the investment and business climate of the country, as well as the regulatory framework, are highlighted, which is confirmed by the reports of authoritative international financial institutions, in particular the IMF, EBRD and the World Bank.

The parties spoke about the importance of the United States Agency for International Cooperation (USAID), including its role in the implementation of joint projects at the national level and within the framework of cooperation between the countries of Central Asia and the United States “C5 + 1”. The importance of the Investment and Trade Framework Agreement (TIFA) is also highlighted.

During the meeting, the possibilities of developing cooperation in the implementation of infrastructure projects of regional and international importance were discussed. Potential directions include the creation of interregional transport and transit corridors along the East-West and South-North lines with access to Asian, European and Middle East markets, as well as the construction of the Turkmenistan – Afghanistan – Pakistan – India (TAPI) gas pipeline and other mutually acceptable projects.

The delegations also discussed the prospects for expanding partnerships in the field of environmental safety, including the creation of production for renewable energy sources and the implementation of scientific exchanges.

Summing up the political consultations, the parties expressed satisfaction with the positive dynamics in the development of relations between Turkmenistan and the United States, and also reaffirmed their commitment to partnership in the interests of global peace, security, progress and constructive development.

Let us recall that this format of interaction between the foreign ministries of Turkmenistan and the United States of America was initiated by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov in 2009 in order to further develop interstate relations.

Earlier, during three-day political consultations between Turkmenistan and the United States, issues of interaction in such topical areas as ensuring regional security and combating serious challenges and threats were considered.

Particular emphasis was placed on the theme of the peaceful revival of Afghanistan, including the implementation of economic projects and the provision of humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, in which Turkmenistan invariably takes a proactive position.

During the consultations, the humanitarian component of the Turkmen-American relations was also discussed. An exchange of views took place on cooperation in the field of human rights protection on the basis of generally accepted international legal norms, where both countries maintain an open dialogue.

They also considered the possibilities of expanding interaction in the field of education and culture, including the implementation of joint projects to preserve cultural heritage, deepening fruitful contacts with leading research and educational centers in the United States. In particular, the Ministry of Culture of our country has prepared a project for carrying out archaeological excavations for the period 2021-2025.

The subject of interested discussion was also the prospects for cooperation with the American Institute, together with which a virtual gallery of national art was created at the National Museum of Turkmenistan, which is currently operating on the Internet.

Negotiations are underway to establish partnerships with prestigious US universities, where artificial intelligence, biotechnology and digital computer software are the priority vectors.