Ashkhabad and St.-Petersburg update the "road map" of economic relations
Definition of ways for expansion of cooperation of Turkmenistan with the Russian Federation became a topic of the working meeting between the Chairman of Committee for External Relations of St.-Petersburg Evgeny Grigoriev and the Minister of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan Muhammetgeldi Serdarov.
The meeting was held on Monday in the building of the financial department. During negotiations change of structure of the foreign trade turnover between two countries in which the increase in production of non-commodity branches during the last years was outlined, was marked.
So, in 2020 volumes of export of such Turkmen goods as chemical fertilizers – by 88 times as compared with level of 2019, by 2,7 times increased deliveries of chemical fibres, by 2,9 times - products of inorganic chemistry, by 1,7 times - vegetables, by 10 % - textiles grew. In import the industrial and technological production prevails. Deliveries of pharmaceutical production almost twice increased.
As Serdarov noted, on qualitatively new level cooperation in the energy sphere was developed - in April, 2019 "Gazprom" renewed purchases of Turkmen gas, the Russian companies take part in building of transboundary main gas pipeline TAPI.
One of the new directions of interaction at the meeting was named electronic trade. Actual and perspective projects in the field of shipbuilding, creations of manufactures on release export-oriented production on the basis of rich natural resources of Turkmenistan were outlined.
Possibilities of direct investment by the Russian side in innovative and hi-tech branches of Turkmen economy, sphere of digital technologies, process industry were also considered.
Today in the territory of Turkmenistan 39 economic subjects with the capital from the Russian Federation operate. Basically, they work in the industrial complex, transport sector and sphere of services. 335 investment projects with participation of the capital of subjects of the Russian Federation for the sum of more than 3, 5 billion US dollars were registered. However, considering processes of diversification of economy of Turkmenistan and Russia, the potential of investment cooperation can be much more above.
According to Evgeny Grigoriev, goods turnover between Turkmenistan and St.-Petersburg in 2020 increased by 29 % as compared with 2019 while goods turnover between two countries as a whole increased by 39 %.
Assistant Minister in charge of Integration and Macroeconomics of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), Fedor Chernitsyn who took part in the meeting stated that the Russian side is ready to cooperation in the shipbuilding sphere, including on rendering of the technical aid. He also invited Turkmen delegation to the Russian Federation for detailed acquaintance and discussion of proposals.
At the meeting formats of interaction in the field of metallurgy development in Turkmenistan, first of all, in the area of science and education in the given sphere, improvements of professional skill of experts were planned.
Besides, issues of cooperation with Turkmen agricultural manufacturers and purchases of their production were discussed. The sides paid attention to teamwork in the spheres of communications, transport and logistics, in the field of public health services.
Within the limits of plans on creation of completely automated tax service in Turkmenistan the Russian side also offers technical and software in introduction of technologies of tax gathering online.
Participants of the meeting exchanged opinions on the working agenda of II Caspian Economic Forum which will be held in August in Moscow.
Jemal Annayeva
