Ashgabat and Brussels to Hold Business Forum in Context of Global Gateway Reboot
Ashgabat, February 17 | ORIENT. At a joint briefing between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Delegation of the European Union, the parties summarized the results of 2025, which they called a period of "tangible results," and announced a key event for the coming spring: the first EU-Turkmenistan Business Forum.
The briefing, attended by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Myahri Byashimova and EU Ambassador Beata Peksa, demonstrated that the Ashgabat-Brussels partnership is moving from the phase of political consultations to the practical implementation of mega-projects.
The past year, 2025, was a record-breaking year for the intensity of contacts. Turkmenistan participated in the EU-Central Asia Summit, and visits by key European Commissioners, including Kaja Kallas and Josef Sikela, cemented Ashgabat's status as a strategic hub in the Caspian Sea.
Key achievements in 2025
Energy and climate: Launch of the Green Turkmenistan initiative and active work to reduce methane emissions.
Transport: Development of a roadmap for the Trans-Caspian Corridor as part of the Global Gateway strategy.
Human capital: Successful implementation of the Darya project and strengthening of the human rights dialogue in Brussels.
March 2026: From Politics to Contracts
The central event of 2026 will be the EU-Turkmenistan Business Forum, scheduled for March. This will be the first platform of this scale where European capital will meet directly with the Turkmen private sector.
Ambassador Beata Peksa emphasized that the forum will focus on critical raw materials, digital connectivity, and logistics. For Turkmenistan, this is an opportunity to fill a vacant niche in supply chains between Asia and Europe.
The German and French ambassadors particularly emphasized the role of the Team Europe initiative. The recent Berlin Declaration (February 2026) affirmed that Central Asia is a "preferred partner" for the European economy. Germany is focusing on energy and digital technologies. France is lobbying for the resumption of the Erasmus+ program and cultural exchange, seeing enormous potential for youth cooperation in Turkmenistan.
In addition to the business forum, the calendar of meetings includes an EU-Central Asia ministerial meeting, the 5th anniversary event of the Darya project in October, and a new round of the Human Rights Dialogue in Ashgabat. The conclusion of the briefing is clear: 2026 should be the year of “filling” the Trans-Caspian route with specific cargo and investments.
