Serdar Berdimuhamedov discussed prospects for joint projects with the Vice President of the EBRD
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov received Vice President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Mark Bowman on Thursday, March 14.
Turkmenistan attaches great importance to strengthening and enhancing mutually beneficial international cooperation, including with reputable financial institutions and banking and credit structures, the head of state said, expressing confidence that the current visit of the EBRD Vice President to Ashgabat will contribute to the further development of bilateral economic relations.
During the exchange of views on priority aspects of cooperation, it was noted that new promising areas of partnership are opening up today, one of which is energy. The commitment of Turkmenistan, which has rich natural resources, to diversify cooperation in this area was emphasized, according to the news release of the national State Television.
The country is also taking steps to introduce environmentally friendly technologies into the industry and develop "green" energy, which provides many opportunities for the EBRD to participate in projects and initiatives in the field of sustainable energy implemented in Turkmenistan.
Transport and transport corridors have also been identified as an important area of cooperation, especially in the context of the intensification of international communications along the Caspian Sea. It was noted that there is a great potential to increase the capacity of the international seaport of Turkmenbashi. In this regard, the Head of state confirmed Turkmenistan's readiness to consider specific proposals from the EBRD for participation in projects for the development of transport and transit corridors.
During the meeting, the issue of cooperation in the field of agriculture and water management was also raised. In particular, the Turkmen authorities cooperate with the EBRD on the construction of irrigation facilities and the use of high-tech specialized equipment.
Cooperation at the level of banks and the private sector, in the field of lending to small and medium-sized businesses, and the provision of consulting services in this area were also considered.
The total investments of the EBRD in Turkmenistan amounted to 334 million euros since 1997. During this period, 87 projects were implemented in the country, mainly in the private sector. The current portfolio of projects is 27 million euros. The bank provides such data on its website.
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