On 4 December 2024, the 23rd meeting of the Turkmenistan-EU Joint Committee was held in Brussels. The delegation of Turkmenistan was headed by the Minister of Finance and Economy Serdar Jorayev. The delegation also included representatives of various ministries and departments, including the Ministries of Environmental Protection, Education, Foreign Affairs, Finance and Economy, as well as the Agency for Transport and Communications under the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan. About this reports MFA of Turkmenistan.
The EU delegation at the meeting was headed by Luc Devigne, Deputy Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia at the European External Action Service. The delegation included representatives of various EU departments, including the Directorates-General for Trade, International Partnerships, Transport, Energy, Education and Culture, and Research and Innovation.
The meeting began with welcoming remarks by representatives of the EU and Turkmenistan, after which the agenda was approved. Issues of trade cooperation were discussed, including support for Turkmenistan's accession to the WTO, the macroeconomic situation in Turkmenistan and the EU, as well as transport connectivity and digitalization.
Particular attention was paid to energy, environmental protection and sustainable development. The discussions focused on water management, methane emissions reduction, regional environmental issues, and prospects for the use of renewable energy sources. The Turkmen side presented a vision of further steps in this area.
In addition, the participants discussed humanitarian issues, cooperation in education and cultural exchanges. The delegation of Turkmenistan extensively presented its initiatives in the field of international academic cooperation.
The EU, in turn, presented the opportunities provided within the framework of various programs and projects of the European Union. Particular attention was paid to educational initiatives, as well as cross-sectoral programs such as BOMCA and CADAP.
The EU delegation also made a presentation on the economic indicators and prospects for economic development of the European Union. Key data on current economic growth, digitalization of industry and the impact of global factors on European markets were presented.
The meeting concluded with a discussion of prospects for strengthening cooperation between Turkmenistan and the European Union. The final comments from the parties emphasized the importance of holding such meetings to deepen bilateral relations.
