Turkmenistan Presents Trans-Caspian Corridor Development Projects to Investors at Paris InfraWeek
In Paris, as part of a European Union-funded program to develop the potential of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, the agency Expertise France hosted an "Investor Day" focused on public-private partnership (PPP) projects within the transport sector of Central Asia.
The event, held on November 3 on the sidelines of Paris InfraWeek, brought together delegations from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan with European investors, infrastructure companies, financial institutions, and development partners. During the presentations, representatives from the region outlined priority public-private partnership (PPP) projects in the transport sector, discussed ongoing industry reforms, and highlighted opportunities for private sector participation.
Welcoming remarks were delivered by Fabien Van Den Eede, an official for international cooperation at the European Commission; Cassilde Brenière, Deputy Director General of Expertise France; Alain Hitimana, a representative of FIN INFRA (Infrastructure Financing Support Mission); and Olga Melo Zanelli, a partner at the law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer.
Statements on behalf of their respective delegations were made by Gulsara Arystankulova, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to France, and Perhat Yagshiyev, Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan. Detailed presentations were given by Baktyluu Mombekov, Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan; Shoista Saidmurodzoda, Deputy Minister of Transport of Tajikistan; Abdukodir Yokubov, Director of the PPP Center under the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan; Aidos Kobetov, First Deputy Chairman of the Kazakhstan PPP Center; and Baimyrat Yazmuradov, Head of Private Sector Development and PPPs in Turkmenistan. The forum was also attended by representatives of the State Service of Maritime and River Transport of Turkmenistan, as well as Maksat Charyyev, Ambassador of Turkmenistan to France.
The visit of the Turkmen and regional delegations to Paris extended beyond the "Investor Day" event, aiming to foster direct dialogue with French government institutions and the business community. Representatives from Central Asian nations held meetings with the leadership of the French public investment bank Bpifrance, the French Development Agency (AFD), Proparco, and the French Ministry of Transport; they also explored opportunities for public-private partnerships with private investment funds.
The visit’s agenda included tours of major industrial and logistics facilities—such as those of Alstom, Société Générale, and the Rungis International Wholesale Market—offering an in-depth look at European expertise in transport infrastructure and logistics.
As noted by Jan Blinka, head of the capacity-building program for the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor at the agency Expertise France, the visit by high-level delegations from the region’s five countries creates unique opportunities to present projects ready for financing and to establish connections with European companies.
The event was organized as part of a program to develop the potential of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, which is co-funded by the European Union, France, and Germany, and implemented by GIZ and Expertise France. Within the framework of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, the program supports institutional reforms in Central Asia, contributing to improved sustainable transport connectivity between the region and Europe.
