Ï 20 years of independence: work summed up, new plans elaborated
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20 years of independence: work summed up, new plans elaborated

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Festive fireworks are over, and the marathon of the grandiose celebrations in honour of the 20th anniversary of independence finished. These days our eyes were turned on the Turkmen capital, whose architectural ensemble was replenished with new magnificent buildings.

These include the Palace of Congress that hoisted on the eve of the remarkable date the Elders’ Council meeting which summed up the work done for the past twenty years, identified priority goals of further socio-economic development and adopted the important decisions to ensure sustainable development of the country.

Present-day Turkmenistan is a self-contained, dynamically developing country that relies on modern state and public institutions and the strong spiritual core of the nation moving forward on the path of democratic development.

Present-day Turkmenistan is a huge construction site. Many state-of-the-art plants and factories, large industrial facilities brought into rapidly expanding economic infrastructure have sprung up in the capital and regions. Whatever industry would be mentioned – it is being modernised and upgraded and upgraded and applies innovative technologies. It suffices to mention the fact as an example that 374 social and economic facilities have been put into operation this year. US$ 48 billion worth investments are being used and 2,447 facilities are currently under construction throughout the county.

The ambitious projects have been launched in the fuel and energy sector. The development of new hydrocarbon deposits, including those on the right bank of the Amu Darya River and in the offshore area in the Caspian Sea is underway. Just recently the mineral wealth of the country has been proved by the independent international audit which estimated the reserves of the unique gas fields such as South Yoloten-Osman, Minara and Yashlar at 26.2 trillion cubic metres and placed them second in the world.

New export Turkmen gas routes have been laid: the transcontinental gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to China and a branch of the Turkmenistan-Iran pipeline have been built. The power industry is becoming stronger including through putting new gas turbine power plants into operation. The chemical and construction industries broaden a range of products, the foundations for developing the metal mining, metallurgy and other fundamentally new industries of the national economy have been laid.

Effective steps are being taken to implement the transit transport potential of the country. The 900-km North-South railways under construction across the territories of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran will be the shortest and convenient route from Europe to South Asia and the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean ports. The Ashgabat-Karakum-Dashoguz highway and the Turkmenbashi-Farabi highways are being brought in compliance with international standards. Effective measures are being taken to strengthen the material and technical base of civil aviation and merchant marine through purchasing modern aircrafts and vessels. The international airport has been built in Turkmenbashi town, and the main ‘sea gateway’ of the country is on the threshold of reconstruction.

Turkmen textile industry is gaining strength. Its infrastructure includes a number of modern facilities oriented towards the manufacturing of high quality products which are in high demand in the country and abroad. Vast opportunities to develop the tourism industry have been opened up through creating the Avaza national tourism zone on the Caspian seashore where luxurious recreation centres and other resort facilities have sprung up.

The agricultural sector is on-upgrade. This year our country joined the ranks of the grain exporters for the first time over its history, farmers have grown a rich cotton harvest that is a direct result of the agricultural reform and the task-oriented state support for the agro-industrial sector. The Turkmen Lake Altyn Asyr under construction in the Karakum Desert has brought huge tracts of land to life and turned them into green oases. The entire country is being covered with greenery of manmade forests, cosy parks and gardens, blossoming gardens which are to preserve the environmental wellbeing of the Turkmen land.

The architectural ensembles of our towns and villages where comfortable houses, new schools and kindergartens, medical and cultural centres, stadiums, sanatoria, digital telephone exchanges and other social and economic facilities are built in compliance with international standards are dramatically changing. The capital of Turkmenistan, white-marble Ashgabat has turned into a beautiful and modern metropolis before the eyes of one generation.

The construction has been launched on an unprecedented scale in the framework of the National Programme for improvement of the social and living conditions in villages, towns, cities, districts and etrap centres for the period till 2020. It is illustrated by the new villages and etraps such as Esenguly Dovletli, Ruhubelent, Altyn Sahra established in remote rural areas.

The high potential of the national economy and a stable GDP growth allow the Turkmen state to increase investment in education, science, health care, culture, housing construction, municipal economy as well as provide citizens with supplementary social benefits.

The major indicator of levels of living is set forth in the Resolution of the Elders’ Council. Turkmenistan’s GDP per capita in our country is to reach US 32,000 by 2020. Production of oil will increase to 23.4 million tons, gas – to 187.7 billion cubic metres, electricity – to 27.4 billion kilowatt-hours, cotton – to 1.185 million tons, wheat – to 1.81 million tons.

The meetings and talks the Turkmen leader held during the days of the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of independence evidenced once gain the growing political and economic significance of Turkmenistan in the world arena. Thus, critical aspects of cooperation were a focus of the meeting of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov with Jan Kubis, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe, UN Under Secretary-General. The high dynamics of collaboration that has been intensified in recent years was emphasized during the talks of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and President of the Republic of Tatarstan of the Russian Federation Rustam Minnikhanov, who had arrived in Ashgabat to attend in celebrations in honour of the 20th anniversary of independence of Turkmenistan.

Promising fields of cooperation were considered during the meeting of the Turkmen leader with Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Viktor Maiko, Chairman of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission of the People’s Republic of ChinaYang Jing, Governor of the Astrakhan Oblast Alexander Zhilkin, Minister of Economy of the Republic of Turkey Zafer Caglayan, the top managers of the Turkmenistan-US Business Council, the Turkish Tourism Investment Association and the world-known companies such as Russian Itera, German EWC, American Exxon Mobil, the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), Japanese Kawasaki, French Bouygues, Thales, Vinci and Cifal and Turkish Kottam and others

Regional Representative and Regional Coordinator of the UN High Commissioner for Refuges for Central Asia Saber Azam and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic Juraj Sivachek held a series of the meetings and talks held at the Mejlis and Turkmen ministries and departments.

Turkmen citizens and our foreign guests witnessed the outstanding building premieres and other memorable events during the holidays. The ceremonies of awarding government awards and conferring honorary titles to our compatriots who had significantly contributed to developing the economy of Turkmenistan and other spheres of life of the state and society completed the picture of the festivities.

Also, President of Turkmenistan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces General of the Army Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov presented government awards to military servants and law enforcement officials, the heads of these agencies for the services in strengthening defence capacity and security of the country, ensuring law and order and the long-term meritorious service for the benefit of the people on October 27 to mark the Independence Day of Turkmenistan. The military and social ranks and titles were conferred to some of them.

The Vice Premiers and the Chairperson of the Mejlis attended the ceremony which took place at the Oguzkhan Presidential Palace Complex. Among the guests for the ceremony was Minister of Economy of the Republic of Turkey Zafer Caglayan. There, the Turkish guest said the Turkmenistan-Turkey Business Council had presented the honorary award – the special prize for the Achievements for 20 Years of Independence to the leader of the Turkmen state.

The ceremonies of opening the Wedding Palace, a hotel for 2,000 visitors and a 20,000-seat stadium took place in Ashgabat with participation of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on October 28. The festivities continued with the opening of Kopetdag Avenue in Ashgabat and the largest in Central Asia international equestrian sports complex in Ruhabat Etrap in Ahal Velayat.

The festive week ended in receiving the symbolic news – another magnificent new building in Ashgabat put into operation with participation of President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on the eve of the 20th anniversary of Turkmenistan independence within the fascinating parade of building premieres to mark the anniversary of the country became an entry to the Guinness World Records. The new Turkmenistan Broadcasting Centre, or rather its main architectural feature – the huge Oguzkhan Star is henceforth considered the world’s largest architectural star.