The First Meeting of the Turkmen-Slovak Joint Economic Commission is Taking Place in Ashgabat
ORIENT | Economy. A new chapter in the development of relations between Turkmenistan and the European Union was opened by the first meeting of the Turkmen-Slovak Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation, which began in Ashgabat on Wednesday, June 17. A representative delegation, led by Vladimír Šimonyak, Deputy Minister of Economy of the Slovak Republic, arrived in the Turkmen capital to participate in this historic meeting.
During the opening day, the commission's co-chairs held talks at the Ýyldyz Hotel in Ashgabat. The parties unanimously emphasized that the launch of this new bilateral format is of particular importance for elevating intergovernmental dialogue to a qualitatively new level, opening direct access to government agencies and the broader business community in Slovakia.
An analysis of the composition of the delegation arriving in Ashgabat clearly demonstrates the broad scope of topics and agencies involved: the ministries of the environment, investment, regional development, information, culture, etc. are involved. The financial and industrial bloc was represented by top managers of the Slovak Investment and Trade Promotion Agency, the CEO of the country's Export-Import Bank, and the management of the Slovak Metrology Institute.
The negotiations were given particular weight by the personal participation of the heads of major Slovak corporations, including the key gas player Slovenský plynárenský priemysel (SPP), high-tech companies Betamont and Microstep-MIS, and representatives of the water management giant Vodohospodárska výstavba.
During intensive panel sessions and bilateral working meetings, participants thoroughly analyzed the current state of trade and economic relations and outlined the contours of specific investment projects. Discussions covered the fuel and energy sector, construction, transportation, communications, and advanced information technology, as well as agriculture, the environment, healthcare, education, and tourism.
The active presence of Slovak businesses demonstrates a mutual desire to translate theoretical agreements into practical implementation. On Thursday, the first meeting of the Turkmen-Slovak Joint Commission will continue its substantive work, and the main outcome of this landmark economic forum will be the signing of the final Protocol, which will lay the foundation for future joint ventures.
