E-commerce enables Turkmen businesses to enter new markets abroad
E-commerce enables small businesses in Turkmenistan to enter new international markets. Digital transformation is considered a priority in a number of national documents, including the State Program for the Development of the Digital Economy in Turkmenistan for 2021-2025.
To achieve this goal, the International Trade Center (ITC) held technical workshops on new legal and policy instruments in Ashgabat on July 23 and 24.
The workshop was attended by key government agencies and business groups, including the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations, the Ministry of Finance and Economy, and the Communications Agency. The workshops discussed Turkmenistan’s e-commerce policy objectives, the existing legal framework, and identified policy priorities in support of the digital economy. An expert from the Secretariat of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) also presented the UNCITRAL Model Laws, which are relevant for the digital economy, ITC reported.
Bringing the private sector’s perspective to the issues and opportunities of e-commerce for small businesses in Turkmenistan is of great importance. With the participation of business support organizations and the Union of Entrepreneurs, ITC workshops focused on their needs for digital transformation. This collaborative approach ensures that the resulting reforms and strategies are practical and useful for stimulating the growth of e-commerce in Turkmenistan, the International Trade Center experts noted.
The mission is part of the ITC project “Turkmenistan: Enhancing Resilience in Trade and Integration”, funded by the European Union. The signing agreement between the EU and the International Trade Center on the implementation of this project took place in Brussels last October, on the sidelines of the Global Gateway forum with the participation of a delegation of Turkmenistan headed by Minister of Finance and Economy Serdar Jorayev.
The project aims to promote economic development in Turkmenistan by improving the business climate and enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This initiative will support Turkmenistan’s participation in regional and global trade, including with the European Union.
The project is part of the European Union’s Cooperation Fund with Turkmenistan. Its objectives are: Enhanced capacity of policymakers to engage in the WTO accession process; Increased integration of SMEs into sustainable value chains; Strengthened capacity of institutions to implement trade facilitation reforms; Improved gender-responsive trade facilitation practices; An improved ecosystem for investment and e-commerce facilitation.
ITC’s mission marks an important step towards creating a vibrant e-commerce ecosystem in Turkmenistan. By addressing regulatory and practical challenges, the project helps raise awareness and build consensus within government institutions to support domestic reforms. These reforms have the potential to further integrate Turkmenistan into the global digital trade landscape.
ORIENT news
