Ambassador’s Corner
Ambassador Devigne brings extensive experience in EU external relations, with a particular focus on Central Asia. He joined the European Commission in 1996 and subsequently held senior positions in the Directorate-General for Trade and the European External Action Service, including as Director and Deputy Managing Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. In these roles, he was closely involved in EU relations and negotiations with countries across the region.
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Luc Devigne, Ambassador of the European Union to Turkmenistan
MESSAGE FROM THE AMBASSADOR
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great honour to address you as the new Ambassador of the European Union to Turkmenistan.
I have had the privilege of working on the EU relations with Central Asia for many years, and I am very pleased to continue this work here in Turkmenistan. I come to your country with great respect for its people, its culture and its traditions, and with a strong belief in the value of closer relations between Turkmenistan and Europe.
In 2026, we are celebrating 35 years of Turkmenistan’s independence. The European Union and Turkmenistan have been partners for more than 30 years. Our relationship has grown steadily, and today our cooperation covers many areas that matter to people's lives – from trade, energy and transport to education, culture and sustainable development. In 2025, the EU was Turkmenistan’s 4th trading partner. But the strength of our partnership cannot be measured only in numbers. It is measured by the connections we build and the opportunities we create together. We highly value Turkmenistan’s neutrality and its commitment to the international law, including sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states.
The first European Union–Central Asia Summit in Samarkand on 4 April 2025 marked an important new chapter in our relations. The EU Strategy on Central Asia provides the foundation for our engagement with the region - and Turkmenistan, with its strategic location between Central Asia and Europe, has an important role to play in bringing our regions closer together. Through the Global Gateway initiative, we can translate this ambition into practical cooperation and create new connections and opportunities in areas such as trade and investment, transport, energy and digitalisation, but also people-to-people contacts. I am confident that there is much more we can achieve together.
As the new EU Ambassador, my commitment is simple: to listen, to engage and to work with you. I want to contribute to a partnership that brings greater opportunities, stronger connections and tangible benefits for the people of Turkmenistan.
I look forward to further discovering your country, meeting its people and working together for a future in which Turkmenistan and the European Union are even closer partners.
I am confident that the years ahead will bring new opportunities, new connections and new achievements for our partnership.
Luc Devigne
Ambassador of the European Union to Turkmenistan
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