Turkmenistan is actively developing a national roadmap for trade facilitation

Within the framework of the Turkmenistan: Trade resilience and Integration project, implemented by the International Trade Center (ITC) and funded by the European Union (EU), an expert meeting was held aimed at developing a national roadmap for trade facilitation, the Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper reports.

The event was attended by representatives of the Turkmen Logistics Association, specialists from various ministries and departments of Turkmenistan.

The project aims to successfully integrate Turkmenistan into regional and global trade, as well as prepare the country for joining the World Trade Organization (WTO). One of the key components of the project focuses on supporting cross-border trade facilitation reforms.

International support and the importance of reforms
Welcoming the participants of the expert meeting, Johannes Baur, Head of Cooperation in the EU Delegation to Kazakhstan, stressed the importance of cooperation between all stakeholders to ensure not only the adoption of these reforms, but also their effective implementation. He noted that Turkmenistan’s efforts to strengthen its position in world trade by complying with international standards will contribute to increasing economic sustainability and regional integration.

During the event, international expert Alexey Bondarenko and Mario Apostolov, regional adviser at the UN Economic Commission for Europe, presented the results of the assessment of Turkmenistan’s national regulatory framework for their compliance with the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.

Development of a national roadmap
The next step for Turkmenistan is to develop a national roadmap for trade facilitation based on the findings and recommendations of the analysis.

The national Roadmap for trade facilitation is a comprehensive document that includes an action program for the implementation of reforms in the field of cross-border trade for a certain period. Experts stressed that this is an essential tool for step-by-step planning to achieve trade facilitation goals and bring national legislation in line with WTO requirements.

At the second session of the meeting, the Adviser on Trade Facilitation at the International Trade Center, Adelina Harunjen, together with Mario Apostolov, presented detailed information about the concept of the Roadmap, its structure and possible difficulties that may arise during its development.

Practical work and dialogue between sectors
During the third session representatives of ministries, departments, customs authorities and the private sector jointly developed mini-maps on priority trade facilitation measures. This interactive format allowed to gain a practical understanding of the necessary reforms and strengthen the dialogue between the public and private sectors.

Prospects of WTO accession for business and the transport services market
The country’s accession to the WTO opens up new prospects not only for the development of the state’s economy, but also for the private sector.

In particular, it will stimulate the Turkmen business to elevate the competitiveness of their goods and services to succeed in the global marketplace.

It is expected that this will also have a positive impact on the Turkmen market of transport and logistics services. First of all, WTO accession will stimulate an increase in demand for the services of Turkmen companies, the development of transport infrastructure in the country and the development of new technologies for cargo transportation.

The need to adapt to international standards
According to Sapa Gurbanberdiev, Senior Coordinator of the Turkmen Logistics Association, the expansion of Turkmenistan’s trade with global markets and the increasing flow of cargo through the country necessitate that Turkmen transport companies adopt international trade procedures, particularly those of WTO member countries. This includes mastering freight forwarding practices and implementing advanced digital systems to ensure efficient and competitive cargo transportation within the global logistics network.

About the project
ITC is implementing a four-year technical assistance project “Turkmenistan: Enhancing trade resilience and integration”, funded by the EU. The project aims at contributing to economic development of Turkmenistan as well as enhancing EU-Turkmenistan trade relations. This will be achieved by enhancing trade competitiveness through improved business climate. One of the goals under the project is to strengthen the capacity of trade institutions to implement trade facilitation reforms and in particular, WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) as well as facilitate the creation of National Trade Facilitation Committee. ///nCa, 3 March 2025 (photo credit – Orient)

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