The first political consultations between the diplomatic departments of Turkmenistan and the Republic of the Philippines were held in Manila on August 2. The Turkmen side was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Akhmet Gurbanov, and the Philippine side was headed by Deputy Secretary for Bilateral and ASEAN Affairs of the Department of Foreign Affairs Maria Teresa Lazaro.

The diplomats had an interested exchange of views on key areas of the bilateral agenda, including issues of trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian partnership, touched upon regional and international issues, and noted the importance of maintaining regular contacts at a high level and intensifying inter-parliamentary dialogue.

The parties, having analyzed the state of trade cooperation in the context of the export-import potential of the two countries, expressed their readiness to develop cooperation in the fields of energy, transport and logistics, agriculture, etc. The negotiations also examined in detail the contractual and legal framework of interstate relations and voiced proposals for its expansion, according to a press release from the Turkmen Foreign Ministry.

Akhmet Gurbanov also met with Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Republic Enrique Manalo. In a conversation with the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, a mutual commitment to intensifying cooperation with a focus on developing trade, economic and humanitarian ties and the legal framework was confirmed.

Following the talks, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the foreign ministries of Turkmenistan and the Philippines.

As part of the visit to Manila, it was held a meeting of the delegation of Turkmenistan with Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of the Philippines Jude Aguliar.

ORIENT news